


The Rebel Meets the Redcoat

by fluffylittlepanda



Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-05-16 01:44:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 66,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5808529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffylittlepanda/pseuds/fluffylittlepanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story picks up with the return of Edmund Hewlett from captivity in the second season of the show.  This story tries to fill in some background information regarding Edmund Hewlett's life and Anna Strong's life, and more importantly, it looks at the future of Edmund and Anna.   Yes, they do have a future together. The story will eventually follow them back to England where they can raise their children and grow old together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. All About Edmund, All About Anna

 

         Edmund woke up late morning and looked around the room.  He remembered some of the events of the previous evening.  He remembered limping to the inn to bring Anna back to Whitehall and seeing Simcoe at the inn.  Anna was happy to see Edmund when he lumbered into the room, and she even ran over to him and kissed him on the cheek.  When they returned to Whitehall, Mary greeted them, and both Anna and Mary helped Edmund back to bed.

         Now, the sun was shining in the window and Edmund wondered what time it was.  Just then, Anna knocked on the door to see if he was up as the doctor was at Whitehall to check on his condition and to change the bandage on his foot.  Edmund had her come in and informed her that he was up and ready to see the doctor.  Anna then with a cheerful smile informed him that she would bring him some tea and toast as it must have been awhile since he had anything to eat.  She then was interrupted by the doctor who had just come up the steps and stepped into Edmund’s room.

         After a thorough examination, the doctor left and was very happy with Edmund’s progress. The foot was so far free of infection and his lungs sounded clear.  The doctor still wanted Edmund to stay in bed for a few days and to get plenty of nourishment.  After the doctor left, Anna came into Edmund’s room with a tray that had his tea and toast. As Edmund drank his tea and began to nibble at his toast, Anna wanted to know if he needed anything else.  “This should be fine for now and I am very grateful for you looking after me” responded Edmund.   “It is the least that I can do considering all that you went through,” replied Anna as she remembered hearing from Mary the night before some of the details regarding Edmund’s capture and escape.

         Because Anna only knew a few of the details, she did ask Edmund to explain what happened only if he felt like it. Edmund did relate the rest of the story. He described how Simcoe set him up, how he was in a cage for weeks on end with only a blanket and very little food, and how he ended up having to amputate his own toes. Edmund then continued with how he made his escape.  “Simcoe came to finish me off.  What he did not know was that the rebel lieutenant had left with me a knife in order for me to end my own life rather than having to continue to wait for the execution order.  I used the knife to stab Simcoe, but in my weakened condition, I was not able to finish him off.  I did manage to escape and hid from him until I could make it back to Setauket.”  Edmund spared her the details of how he hid in a dead animal, but Anna actually did know this part of the story from Mary as Mary ended up burning the clothes that Edmund traveled in.  And, before Edmund initially went to bed the afternoon that he returned to Whitehall from captivity, he had enough strength to wash up as he could not even stand the smell.

        As Edmund told his story, Anna’s eyes widened and showed real sympathy.  She was horrified about the fear, dread, and hopelessness that Edmund must have experienced during this ordeal.  She could not imagine what it would be like to wake up and wonder if this was the day of her execution or whether she would get to live another day.  She could not imagine the despair that Edmund felt in even considering taking his own life.  And, she thought about the pain and fear that Edmund must have had in having to amputate his own toes. She found that Edmund showed real courage and fight in surviving the ordeal.

        What Anna, however, was also very upset about was that she was the one who had asked Simcoe to save Edmund when Simcoe all along wanted to kill him.  How could she have been be so stupid?   “Edmund, I am so sorry!”  Edmund looked puzzled and asked  “Why are you so sorry?”  Anna replied, “I asked Simcoe to rescue you as I was so naïve to think that he would in fact put all differences aside and help you.”  Edmund looked at Anna with sympathetic eyes and said  “How could you have known that he was such a demon, that he could be so despicable and murderous in his intentions?”  Anna still wanted his forgiveness and Edmund continued to insist that there was nothing to forgive.

        With that Anna mentioned that she should let him get some rest and that she would check on him later.  Edmund related that he was not tired as he slept through the night and most of the morning.  “Would you like me sit here for a bit and keep you company?” asked Anna.  “I also can get you more tea and toast if you would like?"   Edmund replied, “I don’t want to inconvenience you on both accounts,” but Anna quickly jumped in and said that it would not be an inconvenience at all.  She mentioned that she was off for a few days as Mr. DeJong wanted her to look after the Major, and he would even make sure that she received her wages.  Edmund nodded saying that it sounded like DeJong always trying to stay on his good side to ensure that his tavern stayed open in order that his profits were not impacted.

        Within a few minutes Anna returned with a cup of tea for Edmund but also one for herself as well as some corn muffins that Mary had just baked.  She sat down on a chair next to his bed and told him that she had heard from the doctor that his foot was doing well but that he needed to continue with bed rest.  Edmund stated that he did not know how long he could stay in bed as he needed to get back to the garrison headquarters and check on what he missed, especially since Simcoe was back in town.  Anna shaking her head no, “You need to make sure that you follow the doctor’s orders in order to make a full recovery!”   Edmund gave her a little smile and said that he would take her opinion under consideration.  

        Anna and Edmund sat in silence for a few minutes as they sipped their tea and ate the corn muffins. Anna then asked Edmund if she could ask him a personal question, and Edmund looked interested and responded that it was fine.   “So tell me what Edmund Hewlett was like as a boy?” asked Anna inquisitively.  Edmund sat up and looked puzzled how to answer that question.   Edmund stumbled a bit at first, but as he started recalling his boyhood memories, he was more confident and even somewhat excited in his speech.   “I had a fairly normal childhood as I lived with my parents and my older brother and sister.  I did have another brother who was closer in age to my older brother but he died at age 9 from a fever.  I was only about age 4 at the time but I do remember him."

       Edmund continued.  "My father was very adamant that his sons were educated and so I attended the local church school and later attended Oxford University.  My father exposed my brother and me to books on various subjects ranging from history, philosophy, religion, astronomy, and science.  I enjoyed many hours curling up with a book in my father’s library and I remember many interesting conversations in the evening with my father and his friends.  My father was the one who bought me my first telescope and I was hooked!  I spent many hours in my backyard with my telescope, sometimes with my father and brother, using books to identify the constellations.  When I was older, my father even took me to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.  I looked forward to those evenings, studying the heavens with other scholarly astronomers.   It was such an idyllic time!”

       He seemed very happy and even smiled as he talked about his visits to the Observatory.  Edmund, however, stopped smiling as he realized that his talk about his scholarly background and interests must have sounded very boring to Anna.   He asked Anna, “I hope that I am not boring you with all of these details about my academic interests?” Anna quickly responded, “No, not at all!   I find your background to be interesting and admirable.  It is not everyday that I get to sit and talk with a scholar.”   She further added. “Besides, I enjoyed my evening with you looking at the stars.  It was so fascinating!”   Edmund at first looked relieved when Anna responded, but when she spoke about their evening under the stars, he looked somewhat embarrassed.  

       Noticing Edmund's expression, Anna went on with the conversation and asked what else he enjoyed as a boy.   Edmund responded, “When I was not studying, I did help out at my father’s businesses.   One of my favorite jobs was acting as a messenger between warehouses, offices, and loading docks.   I learned so much by spending time with the adults as they had some really good stories.”   He seemed to laugh as he thought about some of these stories although he admitted that some were not appropriate for mixed company.   He further discussed how his father made sure that he and his brother excelled at the “manly sports” of fencing, riding, and shooting/hunting.  Edmund admitted “I really enjoy fencing and am fairly good at it.   I have not been able to fence here as no one in Setauket seems to know the sport.   Now, with some toes missing I wonder how my balance will be impacted.   At least it will not impact my riding as that is my first love.”

       Anna knew that Edmund loved horses and started to ask about this. Edmund now had a big smile on his face as he talked about his love for horses.   “Both my mother and father love horses and are excellent riders.   I was raised around horses and my father always bought good quality horses.   My father enjoyed going to the races and took my brother and me when we were older almost every Saturday during the racing season.   I also continued to go to the races after Oxford.  I guess that gambling on the horses has been my one true vice although I have always been careful not to gamble too much.  I must admit though, without sounding like I am bragging, that I am very good at evaluating horses and so I usually won more money than I lost."   

       Edmund continued talking about horses with even more enthusiasm.   “Besides watching horse races, I learned to ride and take care of my horses.  I still remember my horses.   My first horse was a brown and white horse called Hampton as he was raised at a nearby farm called “Hampton.”   My second horse was all white and I called him Pericles after the famous ancient Greek leader.   I raced Pericles which was not only fast but also was a good jumper.   I remember the group of friends that I had when I was about 14, and we all were fairly good riders.  There was a farm near my house and the owner allowed us to run our horses on the farm.   We created our own obstacle courses and our own racetrack.  As Pericles could jump, I had the horse to beat for the jumping events.  Pericles was also very fast and so I could beat most of the other horses in the sprint races.   We did bet pocket money on the races, and when my father found out, he was not upset as the amount of money was small and I won more races than I lost.   Only when my father learned that adult punters started to show up for these races and started to put some serious money on the races was I then precluded from participating. So were my other friends.” “

       The races stopped about the time that I started my studies at Oxford. My three years at Oxford were wonderful!  I studied Latin, Greek, literature, and philosophy, but most of my coursework focused on astronomy and science.   My father’s plan was for me to finish at Oxford and then join the family business.  I really enjoyed my studies but I also enjoyed the fellowship of my classmates.  There were strict rules at Oxford that controlled every facet of our lives at the University but we had fun bending those rules.”   Anna was very interested in this revelation as she knew Edmund as the officer who stressed “law, order, and authority,” and now he was admitting to being a disobedient student?

       Anna pleaded for some good stories for Edmund to tell about how he “bent the rules.”   Edmund told her how he and his friends would sneak over the walls at night to go to the pubs to drink.  Scaling the wall to return home after a night of drinking though was another matter.  Edmund recalled  “I do not know how I got home some nights trying to get back over the wall or seriously injure myself after falling off the wall.  I think at times the porter knew that we were breaking curfew as he had to have heard us returning, but I think that he just would watch us for the entertainment value and not turn us in.  But I can say that trying to avoid the headmaster who sometimes patrolled the hallways sobered us up very quickly.”

       Edmund mentioned some other antics that he and his friends participated in, and although Anna found that they were fairly minor, especially in comparison to what she and some of her friends did when they were kids, she was still amused that Edmund had a light-hearted and fun loving side to him that she had never seen.  Of course, he was a teenager then, but she never even imagined him as a teenager who could be involved in mischief.  

       After Oxford, Edmund discussed how he returned home to join his father’s business.  This was the part that Anna now took an interest in as she learned at one of the Whitehall dinner conversations that Edmund had married after returning home from Oxford.  She did not have any details except that is wife’s name was Elizabeth and that they were only married for less than two years as she died in childbirth.  Anna tactfully asked about how he met his wife.  Edmund softened his expression and voice as he discussed this part of his life.  “Beth was one of my childhood friends.   We were just children, but when I returned from Oxford, well she was no longer a child!  I was amazed at how she matured into a fine young lady, and I think that upon my return, my mother and Beth’s mother were arranging a marriage, especially as her mother and my mother were good friends.   It actually did not take much persuasion from the mothers for Beth and myself to come together as I really fell for her.  We were married within a year and we started off married life fairly well.  Beth loved horses and I still remember how we would on a Sunday after church pack a picnic lunch and go riding.   She loved animals and I remember giving her a puppy spaniel named "Dudley" as a wedding present."

        Anna could definitely see that Edmund was getting somewhat emotional as he spoke but he continued.  “ I also remember the evening that she told me we were going to have our first child.   I was so over the moon!  I was going to be a father!  Then it all came crashing down.” By now his speech was very slow trying to find the exact words.   “She went into labor and the child, a boy, died within minutes of his birth.  Then two hours later, Beth died.   It was very difficult to accept and those days after were very hard.” At this point, Edmund’s voice become even softer and began to reflect on this loss.   “I guess that is where faith in God comes in as we need to accept God’s plan even if it seems so unfair and we have no understanding about it.  I have very good memories of my life with my wife and I found consolation that she was with God.  And, as hard as it was, I had to stop myself from being bitter about the past, but learn how to live for the present and the future.”

       Then Edmund went quiet as he realized that the conversation was getting too philosophical and he was beginning to reveal more than he wanted to. Anna also mentally noted how much he had shared with her.  She knew that Edmund sometimes would ride to the next town on a Sunday to attend the Church of England service (He was certainly not a Presbyterian), but he never seemed comfortable sharing his inner beliefs as he was a very private person.  And yet, he opened up to her and shared his emotions with her. Edmund then quickly collected himself and ended his conversation by stating  “It was a lifetime ago and I have since moved on.  I then ended up joining the army and well you already heard that story.”

       Anna could sense that although he moved on in his life, he still had to deal with some of those painful memories. She could see that he had suffered some great disappointments and losses, and combined with their conversation that night that she first spoke with him at the telescope, she realized that his life was not what he wanted to be but somehow he seemed a better man in dealing with and handling these setbacks.  She was very impressed by his courage and spirit . Moreover, Anna now had a better understanding of the role that his parents had in shaping his life.  Based upon previous conversations at the dinner table at Whitehall, it seemed that Edmund was close to his mother, and his mother seemed like a quiet, gentle, and sensitive person.  From their conversation today, it seemed that Edmund’s father was instrumental and even somewhat dictatorial in overseeing Edmund's education and childhood activities.  It seemed to Anna that Edmund’s father was more like the drill sergeant, the teacher, and the disciplinarian.  He was very demanding in trying to mold Edmund into his own image of manhood, and Edmund had to work hard to please his father.  It was of no surprise now to Anna that Edmund joined the army only to please his father.

        Edmund finished his tea which by now was cold and the last corn muffin. He then changed the conversation to ask Anna a personal question, “Tell me about the childhood of Anna Smith Strong?”  Anna tried to deflect the question by asking him if he wanted to get some sleep or if he wanted additional tea.   Edmund laughed and said that she now had to answer the question.  

        Anna laughed as well and commented that it did some like a lifetime ago.  She thought for a minute and talked first about her family.   “My mother died when I was 12, and after her death, I grew much closer to my older brother and my father.  I also had some very close friends with whom I spent a lot of time with.”  At this point, Anna realized that she needed to be careful in what she said as she was talking about people that now were regarded as the enemy.

       “There was six of us that were very close. I had two female friends, Margaret and Rachel.  We were like sisters and seemed to share everything.  We would talk about the guys that we had crushes on, our first kiss…,”  At this point, Anna stopped as she was getting too personal but Hewlett looked at her like he was waiting for more juicy details.  Anna back-tracked and commented  “Well you get the idea of what young girls talk about.”  Actually, she knew that Hewlett had no idea what young girls talked about, but she wanted to change the subject.  “Anyway, my female friends moved away which was tough on me.  Margaret moved with her family to Connecticut at age 17 and Rachel moved away when we turned 19 as she married a sailor.”  Anna confessed that she was not very good about staying in touch with her female friends and then thought that maybe she should try to locate them and reconnect with them.

       Anna then continued to talk about her male friends.  “The guys in our group though stuck around. Of course, there was Abe and then there was Caleb Brewster and Benjamin Tallmadge.  Yes, Caleb and Benjamin are now with the rebel army but they are very good men.  You might remember Benjamin Tallmadge from the Battle of Setauket. You might recall that he was the rebel officer with whom you brokered a peace.”  Edmund shook his head and replied,  “Yes I do remember him and I found him to be a very honorable soldier.  He would have made a very good British officer.”   Anna went on about Benjamin.  “Benjamin was the serious one of the group. He was an excellent and serious student and later went on to study at Yale.   He was the member of the group who always walked a straight line and served as our conscience when we got some crazy or tempting ideas to do something wrong or stupid.”  Edmund gave her a puzzled look as he could not imagine that Anna would ever do anything stupid or bad, and Anna responded to his look by stating that she had not yet talked about Caleb Brewster.

       Then Anna moved on to describing Caleb.  “Caleb was the ring leader of the group when we were up to no good.  In fact, Caleb and I were always getting in trouble for skipping school or for pulling pranks.   We never did any real damage except for maybe once or twice, but when our parents found out, we were severely punished.”   Edmund again acted surprised but he was very intent on listening to her antics.  Edmund admired that Anna was willing to take risks, to push the envelope, and to try new things.  He adored how she lived life to the fullest and enjoyed life in a way that he wished he could.   And she was so gorgeous, refined, and lovely.

      “Now that you started, you must continue with your story!” replied Edmund.  Anna began laughing as she thought about two major pranks that now were very funny but at the time got her and Caleb into serious trouble.   Anna described the first prank.   “Caleb got the idea to ride over to the neighboring town of Stony Brook and burn its bonfire the night before Guy Fawkes Day (the bonfire would be lit the night of the Guy Fawkes celebration).   It was in retaliation for when some of the young guys from Stony Brook found out that Caleb’s uncle had ordered two special kegs of brandy for his daughter’s wedding.  The kegs were delivered and were kept in the cellar of the tavern as that was where the reception was to be held.   Caleb’s uncle made regular trips to Stony Brook as he had business there and that was probably how the guys found out about the expensive brandy.   Sure enough they came to Setauket in the middle of the night and raided the cellar.   We could never prove who actually took the brandy, but Caleb knew and even heard from a reliable source that the kegs ended up in the neighboring town.  Therefore, Caleb and I rode to Stony Brook just before dark and when it turned dark, we sneaked into the town center and lit the bonfire right under their noses. By the time the people in town realized it was burning, we were on our way home.”

        Next, Anna described how all six of them were in on the famous haunting of Setauket.   Edmund was again intrigued.   She described how they rigged a house to make it look like a ghost was haunting it.   The old couple who owned the house had died and the son was returning to town to claim the property.   They almost chased the son and heir out of town as he started to really believe that the house was haunted.

       Edmund was so entertained and was even so much more impressed by Anna’s spirit and cleverness!  Anna then sat back in her chair and took a sip of tea.  She became quiet as she reflected upon how her friends were no longer around, except for Abe.   Edmund picked up on this and commented how difficult it must have been to see her friends leave Setauket and how even more difficult it was for her to watch her friends choose the rebel side in this war.   He complimented her on how brave she was not to join them but to stay and support the Crown.   If only he knew!

       Anna did not discuss Abe up to this point and it did not escape Edmund’s notice.  Yet, he did not ask her about Abe.  Anna then continued to talk about her family.  “With the death of my mother, I grew closer to my brother and father, but my brother died just before I turned 20.   It was then my father started to think about my future and began to speak with me about settling down and marrying.   I could talk to my father about almost anything, and so I confided to him that I was very serious about Abe and that Abe and I were talking about getting married.   My father was not happy about the prospect of a union with the Woodhulls, especially as Richard was so arrogant and even nasty toward our family, but my father also was only interested in my happiness.  Therefore, in the end he consented to my marriage to Abe and agreed to keep the engagement a secret until Abe could talk to his father.  Yet, it was not meant to be as I found out from my friend, Ben, that Abe proposed marriage to Mary instead.”

      At this point, Anna’s voice grew quiet and she seemed to show some sadness in reliving this.  Edmund picked up on this and quickly told her that she need not continue if she did not want to.  Anna then perked up and said that it was not a problem as it happened years ago.  She then gave credit to how her father was there for her after Abe had “deserted” her, and how her father helped her get over the “betrayal.”  In fact, her father suggested that she might want to consider a courtship with Selah Strong.  Anna’s father was friends with Selah’s father, and although Selah was at least 6 years older than Anna, Anna’s father pointed out that Selah had real prospects as he was already running his father’s tavern that he would someday inherit.   When Abraham  married Mary, Anna then decided to see Selah Strong.   After her father died unexpectedly of a heart attack, she agreed to marry Selah.

      After relating this information about her past, Anna realized that she had given more details about her relationship with Abraham and Selah than she had before to someone who was not part of her inner circle.  She also realized that she did not say that she fell in love with Selah, only that it was a good marriage as determined by her father.   Did she just settle for Selah?   Was he just a good prospect?  

      Meanwhile, Edmund came to admire Anna even more.  She was “betrayed” by the man who pledged to marry her and this same man did not even have the courage to tell her in person that he was breaking off their engagement to marry someone else.   Anna had to find out about her betrayal from a third party.  Anna, however, moved on with her life.   And, Anna was loyal to her father unlike many young ladies at that age.   She took the advice of her father and showed that she trusted his judgment.  After listening to Anna’s story, Edmund was only more enchanted with her.

     Anna did notice that Edmund was starting to fight to keep his eyes open and recommended that he get some sleep. He agreed but only if she would tell him more about her childhood at a later date because he suspected that she did not tell all.  She agreed and left the room  . As she walked down the steps, she thought about how easy it was to talk with Edmund about her past.   She recalled happy times as well as some painful memories.   As she began to come to terms with her past, she now wondered what her present and future life would be.


	2. Changes in the Air

        Edmund did stick to the bed rest regime for another day but then after that he went to the garrison headquarters.   In the meantime, he did write the letter to have Abe released.   Edmund spent his days catching up on correspondence and other issues that he had to deal with as garrison commander.   When he was finished for the day, he returned to Whitehall, and Anna and he began spending more time together.

       Anna continued with her music lessons with Edmund.   Edmund introduced her to some novels that were in Richard’s library, and Anna found that she really enjoyed reading these novels.  They talked about the novels and other literature that Anna had actually read mostly from her school days.   They went for walks in the garden as Edmund began exercising his foot.   Edmund took Anna out riding a few times, using the excuse that the horses in the stables needed some exercise as he had been laid up and was not able to ride them.    And, during a couple of fairly warm late winter evenings, Edmund and Anna went out in the backyard of Whitehall with the telescope to gaze at the heavens.

       As Anna laid in bed one night, she took a long look at her life and the people in her life.   She came to realize that Edmund treated her so differently than her husband and even Abe.   Her husband, Selah, did not see her as an equal.    She was there to do his bidding and be the good, obedient, and hard-working wife.   He did not appreciate or even ask for her opinions.    He made it known that it was his tavern and she was to follow his orders.   At night after the tavern was closed, Selah was more interested in playing cards and drinking with his friends rather than spending time with her.   Besides working at the tavern, they did not spend much time together sharing activities or interests.  Rather, Selah thought that it was more natural if he hung out with his male friends while she did “womanly activities” with her female friends.

       Anna did admit that she did have good times with Selah, but she was starting to admit to herself the deficiencies in their relationship.   Moreover, Anna noted that Selah had not once tried to get in touch with her since he left after the Battle of Setauket.   She wondered why he did not even send a note to her just to tell her that he was okay, but nothing!   And, when she jumped from the boat into the water after the Battle of Setauket, Selah did not even jump in to pull her out?

       Anna then began to think about her relationship with Abe.   She had given him her heart, but what about his intentions?  First, it seemed that he expected her to be available when he had the time.   He could be condescending at times as if he was doing her the favor by meeting her in secret.   And, she started to wonder if their trysts were just one way to fulfill Abe’s ego.    After all, she had to painfully admit to herself that Abe would never leave Mary and Thomas for her.   Was she just fulfilling his need to have something on the side?   Did he really care about the emotional turmoil that their affair had on her?   What did she really feel for him?    Was it the Abraham of the past that she had feelings for or was it the Abraham of the present?

       Now, Edmund was in her life, and this was something that she certainly did not expect!   He was the enemy!   Yes, she even at one point wanted to shoot him.   Now, she looked forward to seeing him and spending time with him.   Her days with him made the war so far seem so far away!

        She was enjoying her life now and feeling more fulfilled and confident.   She not only enjoyed the attention that Edmund was paying her as Edmund always treated her like she was the most important person in the room, but she felt that Edmund was bringing out the best in her.   She was improving her mind by reading works of literature and even some basic philosophy and history.   She started to read the newspapers that she previously only used to wrap meat and fish in the tavern.   She was having “grown-up” conversations with Edmund about what she read and about what she learned.   She felt confident in articulating her opinions and Edmund listened to her rather than putting her opinions down or simply dismissing them.   Anna was becoming more competent on the harpsicord with Edmund as her tutor.  She began to appreciate Edmund’s interests in horses and riding.    She felt so at peace when she spent the evenings with Edmund while they examined the heavens with his telescope.    Her life now was not defined by how well she served drinks or sewed a quilt.    She was gaining a whole new perspective on life.   She liked it and even as she tried, she could not deny that Edmund was part of it. But Edmund was the enemy!   It was a long night for Anna as she replayed these thoughts through most of the night.

       Abe finally returned to Setauket and his return further tied Anna into knots. When he arrived, she was ready to run up to him to welcome him. She seemed not to be able to fight back her emotions as Abe still had a hold on her!   But, Edmund held her back to allow Mary and Thomas and even Richard first access.   In a sense, he saved her from embarrassment and she used those seconds to get a hold of herself.

       After a few days, Anna finally was able to meet up with Abe in the cellar of his destroyed farmhouse.   She was excited to see him and even tried to kiss him, but he pulled back.   Within a couple of minutes, Anna found that Abe was a changed man.   He was more serious in purpose and even seemed somewhat hardened.   The lively and fun loving Abe was gone!

       Anna continued to see the change in Abe’s personality when he came up with the crazy idea to kill Edmund to stop Edmund from sending off his final report regarding Abe’s spying efforts in New York City.    Abe did not even flinch in suggesting this idea to Anna and even seemed proud of it.   Anna wanted no part of it and told him so.   She tried to explain to him why it was a bad idea and how it could only be defined as "murder," but Abe just looked at her as if she was weak and not a team player.   Anna saw that Abe did not seem to appreciate the gravity of his plan, and she further concluded that her opinion meant nothing!   Anna then went to Mary and Mary was able to prevent Abe from carrying out a plan to kill Edmund.    Although this brought Mary and Anna a little closer, it antagonized Abe toward Anna.

       Abe now questioned Anna’s loyalties as it seemed to Abe that she chose Hewlett over him.   Abe became very cold toward Anna.   He began to shut her out of the spy ring and would not talk to her about any plans or potential operations.   She was lucky if he said good morning to her at Whitehall.    He now seemed to have no time for her much to Mary’s and Richard’s delight!

       One morning at breakfast, Abe announced that he was going to rebuild his farm starting in late spring, and then Mary, Thomas, and himself were going to move out of Whitehall.    Abe further announced that in the meantime, he was going to return to New York City very soon to “continue his legal studies.”   Anna knew that he was not going to New York City to study, but she had no idea what he was up to as he refused now to discuss with her anything regarding the spy ring.   Abe did not tell her about his brush with Robert Rogers after shooting Corporal Easton.   He did not tell her that he was actually heading to New Jersey first before New York City as he needed to see Ben face to face to discuss this new twist.   And, he was going to let Ben know that Anna was not to be trusted and that they needed to work on a new signaling system.   Abe was already planning on including Mary more in his plans as she would be the natural replacement for Anna.   Mary was now having a larger role in Abe’s life, and they were getting along very well.   As a result, Mary was in a much better mood these days!

       Abe’s chill toward her should have made Anna want to pack her bags and move from Whitehall.   Yet, she liked being close to Edmund.   Abe had accused her of being in love with Edmund and Anna was shaken by hearing these words.  She was a married woman and Edmund was the enemy.   Yet, she knew that she cared about him, enjoyed being with him, and ?????    She seemed that she had to keep fighting her feelings and tell herself, “it can’t be love” and “don’t be so foolish as he is the enemy.”   She also told herself that a better reason to stay at Whitehall was that Simcoe was still in Setauket creating trouble.

        Simcoe’s feud with Edmund had heated up. Edmund had confided to Anna about Simcoe’s confession that he framed Brewster for killing Edmund’s horse and that he framed Reverend Tallmadge for shooting Richard.    Edmund was beside himself about what to do about Simcoe, especially as Simcoe murdered one of his men by making it look like a suicide and then by shooting Corporal Easton.   Anna knew that Simcoe was not responsible for Easton’s shooting, but then again she did not feel bad in continuing the charade that it was Simcoe that shot Easton.   What’s another atrocity attributed to Simcoe?   Rather than worrying about Abe’s new icy attitude toward her, Anna turned her attention to helping Edmund deal with Simcoe.    Simcoe was still on the loose and Edmund had to find a way to get that man out of their lives.

        One odd thing that Anna started to observe was that as Edmund’s foot was now fairly healed, he was returning to Whitehall in the afternoon with dirty clothes that sometimes were ripped, and he even at times had visible bruises.   Anna asked him about it and he just said that he and his troops were “training” as they were getting a little soft.    What Anna did find out later was that only Edmund was “training.”   He was working with one of the men in his unit that was noted for his hand to hand combat expertise and skills.  And Edmund was training hard.   Anna started to wonder if this had something to do with the attempt to tackle Simcoe.

 

 

          It was an early morning when Anna came downstairs.   There was a knock on the door and it was a young lad who had a message for Anna. It was addressed by Ben Tallmadge and she was curious why he was writing to her and so overtly.    When she read the letter, she began to shake as Ben was writing to let her know that Selah died of a fever. This time he was truly dead.

        Mary was walking by and noticed that Anna had sat down slowly on a chair and had a dazed look.   Mary walked over to her “What is wrong Anna, you look so pale?”   Anna just handed her the letter and Mary read it.   After reading it, Mary just put her arms around Anna and said “I am so sorry Anna!  Everything will be okay as you have friends here to help you through this.”   Anna could not feel any tears but still had a certain look of unbelief.  Both Richard and Abe were walking to the breakfast table and noticed the two ladies in the corner.   They both walked toward Mary and Anna and asked what was wrong.   Mary showed them the letter.    Although they had their differences, both men stayed with Anna to see if they could do anything and they seemed to show real sympathy for her loss.   Mary eventually suggested  “Anna, why don’t you go up to your room and lie down for a bit.   I will send some tea and breakfast upstairs. Then when you are rested a bit and have  had some time to take this all in, we can talk about any arrangements or notifications that you would like to make.”   Although the note did explain that Selah had to be buried in New Jersey, Mary thought that Anna might want to have a memorial service for him.

        Anna made it upstairs and eventually the tears came. She may have been confused about her feelings about Selah and he may not have contacted her for such a long time, but he was still her husband.   He may have been rough on her regarding the transfer of the tavern (that day was the last day that she saw him), but again he was the man that she married.   And, now he was gone.

        Edmund returned for lunch and found the house very quiet.   Mary informed him about what had happened.   Edmund was concerned for Anna.   He wanted to run upstairs and see her right away but he waited a moment.   He did not want to disturb her or make her feel uncomfortable.   After all, her husband was a member of the rebel army, and Edmund was on the other side.   He wanted to give her space, but he also wanted her to know that he was concerned about her.   He finally decided to go and see her.

       Edmund quietly went upstairs and very softly knocked on Anna’s door.   Anna answered.   Her eyes were red from crying and she looked emotionally drained.   Seeing her upset, Edmund just wanted to take her into his arms and tell her that everything would be okay, but he quickly composed himself thinking how foolish he was.   Instead, Edmund gave a look of concern and in a very quiet voice  “I am sorry if I disturbed you in your time of grief, but I just wanted to let you know that I was so sorry to hear about the death of your husband and I wanted to pass along my sincere condolences.   If there is anything that I can do, please let me know.”

        Anna replied “Thank you for your concern, it means a lot to me.”   Edmund did not want to keep her and so he said “I was told by Mary that you were thinking of having a memorial service for your husband.   If there is anything that I can do to facilitate that let me know.   I will definitely keep my men away from the service so that his friends and family, I mean both of your friends and family may mourn in peace.”   Anna composed herself and thanked him again.   After an awkward moment, Anna went to close her door and Edmund went back downstairs.

       Over the next couple of days, Anna spent most of her time planning the memorial services and informing Selah’s family members about his death.   There were only a few of Selah’s family members still left in Setauket, and they were mostly elderly.   The memorial service was fairly well attended and there was a luncheon afterwards.   Anna was not planning on having a luncheon as she did not have the funds, but Mr. DeJong informed her that it was already being provided.   And, true to his word, no redcoats were near the service or luncheon, and Edmund himself did not attend.

       After the service, Anna decided to take up her uncle’s offer to stay with him and his family for a few weeks.    She was not particularly close to her uncle, but time away from Setauket might be what she needed.   On the same day that she left for her uncle’s, Abe departed for “New York City,” and Simcoe went to New Jersey to join Major Andre’s forces.

         Anna returned to Setauket a little early.   After 10 days, she was ready to leave.   Her uncle had four kids under the age of 8 and although they were cute and fun to watch, they were starting to get on her nerves.   Her aunt by marriage was not a very friendly lady and was not happy to have Anna around for an extended stay and so Anna decided to leave.   She did enjoy spending time with her uncle and she did use the time to reflect on her life and what might lay ahead.

        Upon Anna’s return to Whitehall, Mary started to feel somewhat nervous.   Although Mary’s relationship with Abe had greatly improved, she worried that the new widow may have a renewed interest in her husband, and more importantly, her husband in the new widow.    Then like a lightning bolt, it hit Mary that Edmund could be her answer!

        The first night back, Anna went out for a walk in the garden of Whitehall.   She then made her way to the bench that overlooked the Long Island Sound.   This was also the place where Edmund would set up his telescope.   It seemed like so long ago that they were out under the stars staring at the heavens through the telescope.   While she was sitting there, she heard a voice.   It was Edmund’s.   “Sorry Anna I did not mean to disturb you as you seem very deep in thought, but I just wanted to say welcome back and make sure that you were okay.”   She looked up as his face as the moonlight seemed to reflect a small smile.   She all of a sudden felt less tense and was happy to see him.   She replied “You are not bothering me at all and I am very glad to see you.”   The night air was still very cool and Edmund noticed that Anna was shivering a bit as she was only wearing a light shawl.   Edmund took off his redcoat and offered to put it around Anna stating that she looked cold.   She thanked him, she draped his coat around her, and she invited him to sit down on the bench with her.

        Edmund took a seat and Anna looked at him. He had big brown eyes like a puppy dog, and he had such high cheekbones that made his face look odd but also in a weird way somewhat rugged and even handsome.   As she looked into his eyes, she told him “I just want to thank you for paying for the funeral luncheon at DeJong’s.”   Edmund looked at her somewhat surprised and asked her what she meant.   “Look, I know that I did not have the money to pay for the luncheon.   I asked Selah’s family members and they did not pay for it.   Richard certainly did not pay for it and Mr. DeJong is too cheap.   In fact, I got Mr. DeJong to admit that you were footing the bill out of your own personal funds.”   Edmund smiled and stated “I am guilty as charged.   I told Mr. DeJong though not to say anything.   I did not want the guests to be insulted that their food was provided by a British officer.   It would have ruined the luncheon.”   It was Anna’s turn to smile.   “You do not know Selah’s friends. They may not like the Crown, but they would not care if it was a British officer paying for their beer and whiskey as long as it was free and flowing.”  

        Anna again looked over at Edmund who seemed to appreciate the comment.    He looked back at her and stared into her big brown eyes that were particularly bright and piercing in the moonlight.   Before she knew it she slowly moved closer to Edmund and began to kiss him on the lips. He closed his eyes and began to reciprocate as her lips were tasting so good, but then something inside of him made him jump off the bench and away from Anna.  

        Edmund began to quickly apologize as he stuttered “I am so sorry…. I am so sorry as you just lost your husband and I do not want you to think that I am taking advantage of you……. in your vulnerable state.   I should know better…. and I should not have reciprocated.”   Anna put her right hand up to her head to push back her hair.   She was surprised by his reaction and began to apologize.   “I am sorry, I assumed too much. I thought that you wanted to be with me.   I did not mean to put in a situation where you had to push me away.”   Edmund was still stuttering and said “I do want to be with you.... I want nothing else.   I certainly do not want to ....push you away.   But you are a very recent widow and I do not want to .....take advantage of your emotional state.   Besides there is an official mourning period and I do not to violate that.”

       Anna thought for a minute and then tried to explain  “I have had time to think about how I feel and where I am at in my life.   In some ways, I said goodbye to Selah over a year ago and I feel like I have been a widow for that time period.   I want to move on with my life and not sit around and think of the past.   I want to live in the present and I want you in it!”   With that she added, “I do want you to kiss me.”   Anna took Edmund’s hand and looked him in the eyes to show that she meant what she said.   She leaned in again to kiss Edmund and this time he did reciprocate.   Edmund’s kiss was so sweet, loving, and affectionate.   As their lips were intertwined, Anna could feel a rising passion that she had not felt in a while.

        As they pulled away to get a breath, Edmund then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.    Anna rested her head on his shoulder and began to nuzzle his neck.   Edmund began to lightly kiss her forehead and while doing so, he put forward his intentions.   “Anna, I only have honorable intentions toward you.   I only want you to be comfortable and secure.   My intention is to propose marriage but only if you wish and when you are ready.   I do not want to put any undue pressure on you, and again, I have no problem waiting for the usual and customary one year period of mourning.   Even if I get transferred and have to move from Setauket, I will return for you.”  

         Anna noticed that Edmund did not stutter at all.   He was firm and sincere in his intentions. She pulled him closer to her now as she felt so safe and secure in her arms. Anna stated “I do not need any real period of mourning as I stated that I am ready to move on.   I want to see you and see you now.   And, I do not care what people think!” Edmund was very happy to hear this even though it went against tradition.

          Edmund then recommended that since they were both living in Whitehall, it may not be a bad idea to have an official chaperone.  They both then said at the same time, “Mary.”   Then, Edmund asked  “Is there anyone that I should ask for permission to see you?   Should I speak with your uncle and ask for his permission?   Anna responded, “There really is no one to ask except for me!”  Edmund not missing a beat asked “Since I am now officially courting you, I would like to ask you to dinner tomorrow night if you are available.   I will ask the staff at Whitehall if they could prepare a private meal for just you and me.”   Anna responded “Wait a minute, I can cook! I will make you a meal tomorrow night.” Edmund laughed, kissed her again, and said that he was looking forward to sampling her cooking.


	3. The Courtship

        That night, Edmund sat down to write a letter home.  He had a hard time writing the letter as he was replaying Anna’s kiss in his mind.  He almost could still feel her in his arms.  Could it be real or was it a dream?   He was definitely going to have a hard time falling asleep!

        Anna tried to go to sleep that night but when she fell into bed, she felt as excited as a school girl with her first crush.  She was really falling for Edmund and she was so happy.  Yet, as she laid in bed, she started to feel guilty as Edmund was the enemy!  She was betraying the cause!  She was even wearing his redcoat tonight to stay warm!  She thought that when she was at her uncle’s that she had finally put this behind her.  Yet, it seemed that she had not.

       Anna reviewed again why she should NOT feel guilty.  She admitted to herself that she initially joined the cause because of Abe, and to some extent Ben and Caleb, and because her tavern was taken from her.  She jumped from the boat after the Battle of Setauket because of Abe, and she even told him as much when they met after Abe had returned from New York and told her about his double agent plan.   Anna admitted to herself that she was not even sure what the cause was all about.   She did not fully understand the political arguments.   After what she had witnessed and heard about the war, one side at times did not seem any better or nobler than the other.   She wasn’t sure how much her life would really change if the rebels did win and achieve independence.   She would still be serving drinks at the tavern.   For Ben or Abe, yes their lives could greatly change.   But for her, independence would not give her opportunities to vote, hold office, have a say in local government, own property in her name especially if she remarried, sit on a jury etc…   She would not be regarded in any way equal to a man and have similar rights in society.   She would still be a second class citizen laying down drinks for men.  

        She even told Abe that at one point she was thinking of leaving Setauket as there was nothing here for her.   But where would she go?   What would she do?   Yes, on one hand she did want to see the colonies gain their independence, but on the other hand, what more could she do and at what expense?   Abe had shut her out and there was even serious talk that with France entering the war, it would be over very soon and the colonies indeed would get their independence.   And, she could say that she did her part!

        Meanwhile, the war would be over, and Edmund would be returning to England.  All of a sudden she felt a real emptiness and sadness thinking of Edmund not being here but being thousands of miles away.   Yes, he would return to England and probably find a wife and begin a family.  This really made Anna feel lonely and empty thinking of Edmund with another woman.  If Edmund was truly just her friend and nothing more, she would be happy for him finding a wife who would settle down with him, share his bed, and give him children.  Instead, this idea really bothered her and even made her jealous.  

        Anna had to admit to herself that she was falling in love with Edmund.   She thought about the scenario where the colonies gain their independence and she returned to England with Edmund.   It was a long night and Anna did not get much sleep!

        The next morning after breakfast and after Edmund left Whitehall for the day, Anna sought out Mary.  She told Mary about Edmund and her.  This is what Mary had hoped for!  She went over to hug Anna and congratulate her, but Anna stopped her.   “Mary, I still have doubts though. I thought about it last night as I still feel a part of the cause even if Abe does not.”  Mary looked at her and tried to put her at ease.   “Anna, this war is not going to last much longer.  The French are now joining the rebels and it is just a matter of time before the war is over.  I heard Richard and the Major discussing the latest news from the British newspapers and the people in England want this war to end. They are ready to give up the colonies as they think that the movement to form a new nation will fall apart anyway as the colonies do not get along.   They anticipate that eventually the colonies will want to be part of England again and so there is no reason to continue the war.”

        Mary continued “Whether you like it or not, Abe has shut you out of the spy ring.   Besides, the war is moving south and there is little here left to do. (Mary was not about to tell Anna about her new role in the spy ring or the acquisition of Robert Rogers).   You did your part and really there is not much here to do.   Abe is actually studying with an attorney in order to secure his bar.”   Mary was not really lying as Abe needed to keep up appearances and so he was now working with an attorney while still finding time to meet up with Townshend.  

        Mary smiled and looked at Anna.   “Therefore, you have to think about your personal happiness. You could stay here and serve drinks to a bunch of drunks or you could return to England with Edmund and live a very good life.  I know from speaking with Captain Wakefield that Edmund’s family is now doing very well financially and their businesses have made a full recovery.   Wakefield even mentioned that he is a bit jealous as while he still needs to remain in the Army, Edmund is planning to resign his commission after the war and join his father’s family business.   You could have a nice home and carriages, attend lovely balls and concerts, wear pretty and expensive clothes, have servants to manage the household chores, and more importantly, have a husband who will love and adore you and give you whatever you want."

       Mary continued, “Also, think about this. The Major does not appear to have any real vices.   He does not have a roving eye or chase every woman in a skirt as he has shown no interest in any other woman but you.  He does not waste his money by gambling at cards or other games of chance.  And, even though he drinks, I certainly would not call him a drunkard.  If you have children, your children will have whatever they need, including a first class education.  Heavens, I am convincing myself that if I wasn’t married, I should make a play for the Major.”

        Anna was deep in thought listening to all what Mary had to share.  The one aspect that Mary failed to describe was what Anna had contemplated before.  Edmund was such a great companion that allowed Anna to really experience life.  Anna was maturing as a person and she was liking the person that she was becoming.  She was developing real confidence in herself and was really seeing that she had a value.  She was discovering abilities, skills, and interests that she was able to share with Edmund.   Being with Edmund was the best part of her day and she was falling in love with Edmund.

        Mary further added “Just see where these next days take you.  I am sure that your heart will tell you what to decide.” Mary now knew that she had to buckle down as a matchmaker for she needed to make sure that Edmund and Anna ended up marrying and the sooner the better.

        It was the dinner hour and Richard came to the dinner table.  The only person sitting down with him was Mary.   Richard asked “Where is Hewlett and Anna?  I thought that they would be dining with us.”  Mary smiled and said that they were having a private dinner in the sitting room.  Richard all of a sudden exploded thinking the worst, “I will not have any whoring going on in my own house.  I cannot believe that the Strong woman is trying to seduce the Major under my roof for some spy game!”  Mary rushed over to calm and quiet Richard down.  “No it is not what you think.  I just found out this morning that the Major and Anna are now officially courting.”  Richard looking surprised and confused responding with only “What?”  Mary then proceeded to tell Richard that this was a wonderful development.  Richard still looking surprised and confused responding with only “Why?”   Mary then proceeded to explain. “If Anna marries the Major, I will have Abe back in total.  The Major would marry the love of his life.  Anna would finally have a good man and a good life to look forward to.  She would leave Setauket for good, which would please us both.  Everyone wins!”  Richard thought about it for a minute and he could not argue with this logic.

       Meanwhile, Edmund and Anna were finishing their dinner in the sitting room.  Edmund complimented Anna on the meal and Anna seemed very pleased.  He even put the dishes on the tray and carried them out to the kitchen.  While he was gone, Anna wondered if this was too good to be true, Edmund doing housework.  Edmund returned from the kitchen, and Anna remembered that she had baked a pie for dessert.  As he sat down on the couch next to Anna, Edmund admitted that he was full and he could not eat another bite.  He did though pour a glass of wine for Anna and then for himself.

       Edmund and Anna just sat there and stared into each other’s eyes.   Anna again was enchanted by his brown puppy dog eyes and those amazing high cheekbones.  Edmund then proceeded to tell her in a quiet voice “Anna you are so gorgeous and I am so happy that such a beautiful and wonderful woman like you would want to be in the same room as me.”  Anna then smiled and thanked Edmund for the kind words.  “I mean everything I say Anna” as Edmund took her hands to assure her that he was sincere.

        They then both leaned into each other and began to kiss, picking up where they left off from the previous night.  Edmund’s tongue began exploring Anna’s mouth and she reciprocated.  Their kissing became very passionate and they began to slowly lay back on the couch with Edmund on top.  It was now getting very steamy but then all of a sudden Edmund stopped the deep passionate kiss, broke the embrace, and jumped off the couch.

        Edmund began stuttering as he did when he was nervous and began apologizing so profusely. “I, I , I am so sorry….sorry for in any way taking …. advantage of you. I stepped over the line and went too far.  I in no way…. no way intended to offend your honor or virtue….   I cannot believe that I was leading…. leading you astray.”  Edmund was trying to find the right words and Anna was so amazed at how honorable and moral he was trying to be.  The men she knew, except for Ben, would not have stopped.  If a woman was willing, willing to even go all the way, the guys of Setauket would be very willing to oblige her.  And here, Edmund was such a gentleman.  He did not want to offend “her honor.”  He did not want to “smear her virtue.”  He did not want to lead her astray but rather felt the obligation to steer her away from the “occasion of sin” (a term that she remembered from her bible class as a child.)

         Anna did not want Edmund to feel guilty and she felt bad that he was so upset with himself.  She had him sit down next to her.  She then put her arms around him and put her head on his shoulder.  She said that she was in no way offended and she appreciated him being such a gentleman.  “Please though just sit here and hold me,” and Edmund was glad to do so.  Anna felt so secure and warm in his arms.  They both even dozed off holding each other and when Anna did awake, the evening unfortunately had to come to an end.

        The next day Anna and Edmund went riding.  Anna had to work that night but she had most of the day off.  Edmund did express to her that day that she should consider cutting back her hours as he did not like seeing her serving drinks to the rowdy drunks in a tavern.   Anna told him that she needed the money and needed to work.  He then asked Anna “Do I have your permission to speak to Mr. DeJong about giving you an easier job at the tavern where you do not have to be worried about being accosted?” Again, Anna said, “I have done this job for ages and I can handle myself.”  Edmund agreed but “I do not want you to receive any trouble from the punters who may bother because you are now courting the garrison commander.”  Anna with a large grin stated “If I do have any problems, I will be happy to go to the garrison commander and let him know.”  Anna was happy that Edmund was concerned for her, and at the same time, was not trying to dominate her by insisting that she give up her job.

        They rode for a while and then stopped by the river so that the horses could have a drink.  While the horses were having their water,  Edmund took Anna’s hands and he stared lovingly into her eyes. “I have been watching you all morning and I feel compelled to tell you how much I love you.  I do not want to put any pressure on you, but I just have to tell you that I love you.”  Anna could feel her emotions well up and then she fell into his arms. Although she could not say categorically that she loved him back, Anna did say “I am beginning to fall in love with you.” They just held each other until of all things Edmund’s horse came over and gave him a nudge as if to say that he was done drinking and enough of this.  Both Edmund and Anna were first amazed at the horse and then began laughing as what the horse did.  Anna stated that she could now better understand why Edmund loved horses.  They had a nice picnic lunch and enjoyed the day.

        They were enjoying the time that they were spending together.  Of course, Mary was very cooperative in ensuring that Anna could be alone with the Major.  Anna and Edmund would read together, take long walks, play the harpsicord in the evening as Anna continued with her lessons, attend local dinners and concerts together as a couple, go riding, and as the weather was getting nicer, go out in the evening and look at the stars with the telescope.  Anna taught Edmund how to fish and Edmund taught Anna how to play whist.  They also spent hours talking about almost every subject imaginable.  They talked about their dogs that they had growing up (Anna had always wanted a dog but Selah did not want to be bothered), favorite traditions of Christmas, stories of crazy relatives etc….  Anna especially enjoyed hearing from Edmund about life in England.  She could tell that Edmund was homesick, but from his descriptions, England did not seem so different from Setauket, except of course there was so much more to do in England.

        Although the war seemed so far away for Edmund and Anna, Anna did notice that Edmund was no longer the confident and arrogant British officer that he once was.  In fact, one evening they were sitting in the parlor and sharing sections of a British newspaper.  Edmund looked very frustrated and Anna asked “What is wrong?”  She could tell that he read something that was troubling.  Edmund put the newspaper down and just sat for a minute.  He then replied “What a bumbling group of politicians we have in running this war.  And, the King is no better!”  Anna could not believe her ears that Edmund just criticized the King.

        Edmund continued. “We acted so superior as if we had all the answers.  And yet, in conducting this war, we have not accomplished much of anything.  A lot of good men have died on both sides. Yet, the politicians in London have no clue what this war is about.  I do not want to sound treasonous but after being here in the colonies, there is a lot that the politicians in England could learn from the colonies.”   Edmund then began talking about some political thinkers in England who wanted to reform the English political system and open it up to more men just like in the colonies. These were the same people that wanted England to end the war and strike up a peace accord with the colonies. They saw that there could be independence and self-rule for the colonies, while at the same time, these colonies could retain a special relationship, especially commercial ties, with England.  Although Edmund did not exactly say that he agreed with their position, he did say that their ideas were more in line with the Enlightenment and he himself was a student of the Enlightenment.

        Edmund realized that he was again getting too philosophical, and stopped talking.  Anna moved over to sit on the sofa with Edmund and held his hands as she could see that he was further troubled.  “Edmund I want to know what you are thinking even if it may be over my head.  I want you to feel that you can confide in me. You will not shock me at all!”

        Edmund looked at her and continued to discuss his own behavior and how he started to feel remorse. “I bought into this whole image that it was such a noble cause. I sentenced men to prison ships and then only found out what horrendous conditions they were.  My own army, my own people could care less how they treated their own colonists.  I still cannot believe how my own British countrymen and fellow officers could be so inept and even immoral.  Look at how Simcoe the monster is allowed to do whatever he wants and commit whatever atrocities that he so desires.  How blind I was thinking that we were so superior!  I still have my duty to do, but I do see it in a very different light”

        While holding his hands, Anna responded  “You cannot blame yourself.  You are a good and trusting man who gives more credit at time than credit is due. You have always done your best and that is all that you could do.”  Edmund took Anna into his arms enjoying her consolation, and they just sat there holding each other.  Anna was starting to see that Edmund’s initial behavior as garrison commander was more of an act, almost like he was just playing his role as a loyal British officer.  It was not the real Edmund.  Yes, he still loved his King and country, but he definitely was not invested in this war like she initially perceived.  He now was tired of play acting and just wanted to go home.

       Their courtship continued as Anna was taking Mary’s advice to see where her heart would take her. Their physical relationship only went as far as some necking and kissing.  Anna was actually very happy that their relationship did not yet go any further on the physical level.  She was not ready for that.  She thought about her relationships with Abe and Selah. She always felt pressure to please them physically and of course, they did not mind at all.  She first slept with Abe when they were secretly engaged, and he was her first.  With Selah she did not wait for her wedding night.

       Now she just was just happy to feel secure and safe with Edmund’s sweet and loving kisses and caresses. She found that Edmund eventually became comfortable with discarding his redcoat and wig while alone in her company.  Without his wig, he seemed much younger and even a little handsome.  Anna liked to run her fingers through his short coarse hair and kiss those amazing cheekbones. Their lips and tongues intertwined as they enjoyed the taste of and pleasure of each other’s kisses which they both found so affectionate, warm, and adoring.  Anna would cuddle in Edmund’s arms while he rubbed her back and shoulders, which could put her to sleep in a matter of minutes. Meanwhile, she discovered as she cuddled in his arms she could put him to sleep by rubbing his chest.  They were just happy to be with each other and enjoy each other’s touch without expecting anything more physical or intimate.

        Anna also liked how Edmund would nuzzle her ear and whisper in her ear so many incredible compliments. He would in a low whisper tell her how beautiful, how gorgeous, how smart, how unafraid of life, how strong-willed, how sensitive, how good, how loyal, how wonderful she was, as well as other nice words that Anna enjoyed hearing.  Edmund was so affectionate and was not afraid to say how much he loved her.  She was definitely enjoying his sensitive and affectionate side that was the opposite of his image as a garrison commander and British officer.

         Edmund was also spoiling her by buying her gifts and bringing her flowers.  She kept insisting that she did not want anything and even protested when Edmund gave her some expensive jewelry.  He commented that he had to spend his salary on something and he was happy to give the one silversmith in Setauket some business.  He just wished that he could get away and travel to New York CIty to buy her some really fine jewelry.  Before the annual Setauket dance, he also had an account set up at the local dressmaker for Anna to buy a nice gown and a few other dresses.  Anna again balked but Edmund insisted.

        Mary certainly noticed how well the courtship was going and then finally she had some information to speed it along.  Captain Wakefield had let it slip while Mary was talking about the fall festival that he would not be there.  As she pressed him, he admitted that the Major had received word that they were leaving Setauket before the end of the summer for a new assignment.  He did not say where but he intimated that it would be somewhere in the south.  Mary mentioned this conversation to Anna. Anna wondered why Edmund had not told her about this and Mary responded that it was probably because he did not want to pressure her with making a commitment.  Yet, Mary suggested to Anna that maybe Anna needed to make some decisions.  What Mary also did not tell Anna was that Abe was due to return home shortly.

        Anna that night thought about what Mary had told her.  Yes, she needed to be courageous and bold and make a decision. The news about Edmund and his men leaving in such a short time did take care of one problem that was haunting Anna if she married Edmund: How could she live in Setauket knowing that Abe was still spying?  How could she deceive her new husband without giving herself away and betraying Abe and the rest of her friends?  Yes, maybe this news about the troops in the garrison leaving was a sign from Divine Providence about what she should do.  The one thing that she felt that she had to do was to come clean with Edmund about her past relationship with Abe.

        The next night Anna and Edmund had a private dinner.  Edmund noticed that Anna hardly touched her food.  Edmund asked “Are you not hungry? Don’t tell me that you are not eating your own cooking. The meal was marvelous!” Anna responded  “I am fine but I do want to discuss something with you. No, I need to be honest with you about something ,,,, no,,,, my relationship with Abe.”  Edmund sat up and had a serious look on his face.   Now it was time for Anna to stutter. “You know that we were to be married but Abe instead married Mary?” Edmund nodded yes. “And, you know that Simcoe brought charges against Abe when the late Ensign Baker walked in on Abe and I one night?”  Edmund nodded yes and intervened “It was cleared up then and I can understand a bit that you and Abe still felt something for each other.  It was providential that Ensign Baker walked in on you and Abe.”  

        But Anna continued. “What you do not know was that when we travelled to New York CIty to seek the release of Selah, I received news that Selah was dead. That night Abe…..umm… comforted me… umm….slept with me.”  Edmund now had a serious and somewhat disappointed look. “And that was not the last time.  We began an affair.  I thought that Selah was dead and so I..... not to excuse my behavior ….. had relations, yes slept, with Abe.  We would sneak away and I ….. well ….wanted to be intimate with him.  I guess I was deep down hoping that he would leave Mary. I was so wrong…… but it happened.”

        They were both quiet for a minute.  Edmund had not realized how far their relationship really went.  Edmund bit his lower lip and had a tear or two in his eyes. “Are you still…. intimate with Abe? Are you still in love in with him?  I need to know as I will step aside, I mean I will have to step aside.”  Anna responded very intently. “No, I stopped sleeping with him before the Battle of Setauket. My conscience was bothering me, and when I found out that Selah was alive, I felt even more guilty about the affair and so I stopped it… we stopped it.”  

        Edmund seemed somewhat relieved but then again asked her “Are you still in love with Abe?” Anna sat quiet, and Edmund now was very tearful and with a quiver in his voice he responded “I guess I have my answer.” He then looked up at the ceiling trying not to show that he was crying as his hopes and the love of his life were no longer.  Anna waited a few seconds and then looked up and said “No!” She then seemed to out loud piece together her emotions as if a light bulb went on regarding how she honestly felt. “I am glad that this was brought up because I now can say that I want you and not Abe!   If you walk out that door, I would not blame you, but I would chase after you. I do not want to lose you. Yes, my feelings for Abe are part of my past and part of me, no they have been replaced by my feelings for you!  I want to be with you Edmund. Yes, you are my present and future!”

       With that, Edmund’s despairing look and tears quickly disappeared and he even managed to give a nervous smile. Then, he took her hand and got down on one knee, “Would you do me the privilege and honor of being my wife?” Anna looked at him as if she was in the middle of a fairy tale with her prince proposing to her. She then cried “Yes!!!!” With that Edmund got up and hugged Anna so tightly. He then kissed her but let her go as he had so much energy and started to act like a giddy school boy. He kept saying over and over again, “I cannot believe that she agreed to marry me!” Anna finally took his hands to calm him down.  He was ready to bust out and go and tell the whole town that Anna had agreed to become his wife. Finally he did calm down and gave Anna a big sloppy kiss. Anna just had a smug grin as she was watching her normally calm and stoic garrison commander act like an excited and goofy kid.


	4. The Engagement

        When Edmund finally calmed down, he asked Anna, “Is there anyone that I should ask for your hand in marriage?”  Like previously, Anna responded,  “You only need to ask me.”  Being logical and practical, Edmund now settled down and wanted to talk about the wedding details.  “Would you mind if we were married in the Anglican Church?  I know the vicar at Stony Brook, and I would like him to come to Setauket and marry us?”   Anna was raised a Presbyterian but she had not really stepped into any church after the death of her father.  “I do not mind at all,” replied Anna.

        Edmund then proceeded to tell her about the update from headquarters that he and his troops would be leaving Setauket before the end of summer.  Anna admitted that she already knew about it and explained how she was privy to the information.  She certainly did not want him to think that she was spying.   Just as Mary predicted, Edmund told Anna that he did not tell her about it as he did not want to put any undue pressure on her.

       Anna then put her arms around Edmund. “I would like to become Mrs. Hewlett sooner than later.  I have no problems with getting married the first date that the vicar is available for the wedding.”  Edmund responded, “Why don’t we ride over tomorrow together and see the vicar to schedule a date?”  “I would like that very much,” Anna said with a big smile on her face.   They then began to kiss but were interrupted by Mary’s knock on the door as she wanted to know if they needed anything.

       Edmund took Anna by the hand and enthusiastically told her that they needed to tell Richard and Mary the good news.  When Mary heard she went over to Anna and gave her a great big hug.  Anna responded with a whisper to Mary “Thanks for all that you did to make this day possible!”  Mary then asked Anna for her permission to kiss Edmund congratulations and Anna laughingly said yes. Richard then came over and shook Edmund’s hand who by now was like a giddy school boy again. Richard then looked at Anna and gave her a “cool congratulations,” but did not bother to ask Edmund for permission to kiss the bride-to-be.   Of course, Anna was very content that Richard did not want to kiss her congratulations.

       The next evening, Abe returned home from New York.  He was walking up the path and noticed Anna and Edmund in the garden kissing somewhat passionately.  He went in the house seeking out Mary.  When he saw Mary he told her what he saw in the garden and wanted to know what the hell was going on.  Mary told him that Anna and Edmund were engaged to be married.  They were to be married within three weeks.  Abe was shocked! “It cannot be… It cannot be….” was all that he could say.  Mary knew that Abe would not be happy hearing this news and she was ready for his reaction.  She quickly told him, “The Major will be receiving orders shortly regarding a new assignment.  Anna and he will not be around much longer.  Meanwhile, Abe you need to stay focused and keep on task.”

        Still Abe was not happy. “Maybe I need to go and call out the Major!” Mary replied, “What are you going to say to the Major?  He has every right to marry Anna and you do not have a leg to stand on to stop the wedding.  You might only make matters worse.  I have watched their courtship and Anna has definitely fallen for the Major.”  Abe was silent for a minute and then remarked, “Maybe if I could talk to Anna, I can get her to change her mind.”  Mary gave Abe a look as if to say that you and Anna are no longer an item anymore, get over it!

       As Abe went to unpack, he thought about how he would talk Anna out of marrying the Major.  He also needed to get a message to Ben so that maybe Ben and Caleb could sneak in before the wedding as reinforcements to convince Anna not to go through with the wedding.  Abe went downstairs for a late dinner and the happy couple were walking arm and arm in the door from the garden.  Edmund saw Abe and went over to welcome him home.  “Abe I have some great news, Anna has agreed to be my wife!”  Abe just gave a smirk and a somewhat sarcastic congratulations.  Anna meanwhile, gave him a dirty look as if to say you had better leave both of us alone.  Meanwhile, Mary started to think about what she needed to do to keep a battle within Whitehall from breaking out.

        Over the next couple of days, Abe tried to get Anna alone to talk to her, but Anna avoided him or was with either Mary or Edmund.  Finally on the third day, Abe caught up with Anna as she was cleaning the porch and Edmund was at the garrison.  Anna realized that she eventually had to speak with Abe and was ready to do so.  Abe first tried the very sensitive and caring approach explaining, “The cause needs you. How can you leave the cause for a British officer that represents all that we were fighting against together? I blame myself for how I treated you and I was wrong.  You are my moral conscience and I should have listened to you.  You are valuable to the cause and valuable to me.  Anna, I need you!  You are the most important part of my life!”  Abe then approached her as if to hold her.  Anna quickly backed up stating “You are not going to charm me anymore and get me to bend to your will.  I am marrying Edmund and you cannot stop me. I am also warning you Abe that if any harm comes to Edmund (she was remembering the plot to kill him), I will expose you and the spy ring!”

        Abe was now angry and became somewhat nasty.  “You are not loyal to your country or your friends.  I guess that I should not be surprised that you want to throw yourself at a British officer as you will sleep with any man that wants you!”  Anna should have been mad but she expected this approach and knew what Abe was up to.  So Anna retorted “No, I only want to sleep with a man who will marry me.”  With that she handed him the broom and went inside.

        That Saturday morning, Edmund and Anna departed for a British officer’s ball at Huntington on Long Island.  It was a major ball as Huntington was the largest garrison outside of New York City and all of the British officers on Long Island were invited.  Also, all of the magistrates were invited which meant Richard was going.  Edmund was able to get an invitation for Mary and Abe as well because he needed to ensure that a chaperone was with them and he wanted to give Anna some female company.  

        Anna was nervous as she had never been to such a social event.  Edmund calmed her down as he would be there with her.  They even practiced a few dances that week although Edmund admitted that not only was he a poor dancer but he was out of touch with the latest dance steps.  Mary practiced with them but Abe showed no interest whatsoever.  Also, because some of the officers that they would meet were titled aristocrats or sons of aristocrats, Edmund gave a lesson on the etiquette of how to address them and their wives.

        Because of the distance, they were going for the weekend.  And because of the numbers attending, rooms were hard to come by.  Edmund had to share a room with another officer while Anna had to share a room with two other women.

        On the night of the ball, Edmund met Anna on the staircase to escort her into the ballroom.  As Anna walked into the hallway with her new ball gown, Edmund could only stare lovingly and adoringly at her. Anna’s gown was beautiful, it was lower cut than she was use to wearing, and it accentuated her curves.  Edmund went over to her and could not take his eyes off of her.  “You look beautiful darling!”  “How am I going to keep all of the handsome young officers away from you?”  Anna took his arm and said, “Don’t worry, when they see my lack of social graces, I will be standing alone.”  Edmund replied,  “You do not lack social graces, and besides, those young officers will not be interested in you because of your social graces.”  Anna tightened her grip on Edmund’s arm as they went down the stairs and made their way to the ballroom.

        The house itself was larger than any house Anna had ever been in.  The decorations were very lavish.  So many candles were lit that it looked like daytime. The walls and mirrors seemed to sparkle.  The food table was plentiful and the drinks were flowing.  The orchestra was large and the music was so beautiful.  Yes, Anna felt like a princess. And, some of the young officers as well as some of the other men at the ball were showing an interest in her.  She definitely did not have a lack of dance partners as the men were constantly coming up to Edmund to ask him for his permission to dance with his fiancé.  Anna was definitely noticed and was “a belle of the ball.”

        Anna was enjoying herself but she also began to sense that she had very little in common with the other women at the ball. They all seemed so cultured, they were very prim and proper, and they talked about topics that she had no idea about from expensive shops and clothing to how to decorate their summer homes.  It seemed that whenever she started to feel self-conscious about it, Edmund would come over to her and give her such support.

        As she felt like a princess, she saw Edmund as her prince! There were a number of young, good looking, and refined women at the ball, but Edmund did not even seem to notice them as he only had eyes for Anna!  As the evening went on, Edmund and Anna were able to sneak out to the garden.  In the moonlight, Anna and her soft, delicate, and bare shoulders were driving Edmund mad!  He leaned in and began to gently kiss and caress Anna along her bare neck and shoulders. As their passion for each other was rising, Anna whispered in his ear,  “There is an Anglican vicar at the party and maybe he could marry us tonight.  Then I could sleep in your bed tonight.”  Edmund stopped kissing her and looked her in the eyes as if to say please stop tempting me!  Edmund pulled her close to him and was contemplating her suggestion as he tightly closed his eyes and sighed.  But then he cooled down a bit and became the logical Edmund.  “Well my darling, I do not want to deny you a public wedding with a reception, and besides there are no free rooms here tonight.”  Anna actually laughed a bit as she thought leave it up to Edmund to be so practical. At that point, another couple walked into the garden and Edmund and Anna decided to go back into the party.

        Anna began to count down the days to her wedding when she would become Mrs. Hewlett.  She now was no longer working at the tavern and had so much more free time to spend with Edmund.  One night, there was to be a large meteor shower and so Edmund and Anna took out a blanket and laid it on the back lawn. They both laid down on their backs to look up at the sky and watch the meteors.  Edmund of course remembered the bottle of wine and glasses.  The meteor shower was breath-taking. Anna and Edmund at first were silent.  Edmund just held Anna’s hand as they watched the show.

        Then, they started to discuss what their life would be like in England.  From her experience at the party, Anna worked up the courage to ask Edmund, “Are you sure you want to marry me?  After all, I am not from the appropriate class and I might embarrass you with my background as a tavern server or as others would call me, a tavern wench.” Edmund looked at her lovingly and gave her a kiss.  “I could care less of your background. I want to marry you, Anna Strong!  My friends will not care and if other members of society do care, I want no part of them!  Never refer to yourself as a tavern wench as you worked hard and you did a job that was not dishonorable!”

        Anna insisted “But what about your status in the British Army or in English society?  I will be a liability to you”  Edmund gave her another reassuring kiss,  “I am not making a career of the British Army, and even if I was, I do not give a toss!  I can assure you that back in England, my friends, my family, and my business associates will all like you! How could they not like you?  They will see all of your fine qualities that I see.  Not everyone in England is a snob!”  He then moved closer to Anna and began to hold her, ignoring the meteor shower.

        To change the subject and to make Anna feel more at ease, Edmund asked Anna,  “How many children would you like?”  Anna was quiet as she knew that this was something that also bothered her.   She then responded,  “I know that you were able to father a child with your first wife.  Yet, I was never able to give Selah a child.  I am afraid that I might disappoint you and not be able to give you any children.”  Edmund, realizing that Anna was upset by this thought, sat up and raised her up to the sitting position as well.   He then looked in her eyes “I am marrying you because I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.  It is up to Providence how many children we will have. We have no control over it.  If for some reason, we cannot have children, we could also look into adopting a child who needs a home.  It is not usually done, but it would not bother me at all.  I am confident though that you were not the problem in failing to conceive a child with Selah.”

        Anna gave Edmund a hug and wondered why she was so lucky to have found someone like him. It confirmed for her even more that her decision to marry Edmund was the right one!


	5. The Simcoe Solution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hewlett finally will face Simcoe.

        The wedding day was fast approaching. Abe was not around Whitehall as he was beginning the process of rebuilding his farmhouse.  And, Captain John Simcoe returned from New Jersey.  He had been absent from Setauket for a couple of months, but he received permission from Major Andre to return to Setauket.

        As he rode into town, he headed straight to the tavern.  It had been some time since he saw Anna Strong pouring drinks and he missed watching her.  He went into the tavern and even before ordering a drink, he noticed that she was not there.  He asked one of the new servers if Anna Strong would be working tonight.  The server looked at Simcoe and told him that she did not work at the tavern anymore.  Simcoe asked why not and the server responded that since Anna was marrying the Major, she did not need to work any longer.  Simcoe seemed very surprised and could not believe what he heard and so he asked the server to repeat what she said.  The server confirmed that Anna was to marry Major Hewlett in about a fortnight.

        Simcoe left the tavern in haste and headed toward the garrison.  Edmund was in the middle of some correspondence when one of the sentries let Simcoe into the room. Edmund looked up and was surprised while Simcoe had a devilish look on his face.  “Hello, Major! Are you glad to see that I have safely returned to Setauket?  By the way, I need to congratulate you on your impending marriage.”  Edmund got up with a very determined and angry look on his face.  “You are not welcomed in this town!  You need to leave!  I am not going to tolerate your presence!”  Simcoe, still with a grin on his face, replied,  “Is that any way to speak to one of your brother officers who is congratulating you on your impending marriage?”  Edmund stood looking up to him and said,  “You have been warned!”  Simcoe moved closer to Edmund and looking down at him with a sneer on his face, “You have had your way for a while.  Do you really think that you will marry Anna?  Will you marry her after I have my way with her?”  Now he began laughing almost demonically.

        Edmund now in a very low gravelly voice and with his eyes very tightened said,  “If you go anywhere near Anna you will find out what I am capable of doing as you might find that I can ignore rules as well.”  Simcoe looked at him and gave him a look as if he accepted his challenge.  Then, as Edmund gave him a “nasty stare,” the same type of stare that Simcoe saw on the night that Edmund walked into the tavern when Simcoe thought the was dead, Simcoe did back away and left the church.

        Edmund called in one of the soldiers and ordered him to summon Captain Wakefield.  When Wakefield entered the church, Edmund told him that the garrison was on full alert.  There was to be no confrontation at this time with Simcoe’s men, but there was to be a doubling of the guard, the men were to be on alert, and there was to be special attention paid to the activities of Simcoe and the Rangers.  

        At Whitehall that night, Edmund did tell Anna that Simcoe had returned, but he offered no other information.  He advised her that he was going to stay close to her and watch over her, especially until the wedding.  Anna with a smirk kiddingly replied that she wanted Edmund to stay close to her, but she could also sense that Edmund was on edge about Simcoe’s return.  And, to tell the truth, so was Anna!

       At the end of the week, the Woodhulls, Edmund, and Anna were invited to the DeJongs for an evening of cards, drink, and music.  Anna had a bad headache and decided that she could not go.  Edmund did not want to leave her, but she insisted that he go for a bit.  After all, DeJong would feel slighted and she would never hear the end of it.  And there were guards outside of Whitehall.  Edmund did go with the Woodhulls.  After about an hour at the DeJongs, Edmund had a strange feeling that something was not right. He decided to excuse himself and return to Whitehall to check on Anna.

       As he approached Whitehall, he noticed that the guards were gone.  Then in the upstairs window of Anna’s room, he saw two figures.  One seemed to be wrestling upright with the other and then he heard a scream – It was Anna!  Edmund took off and ran as fast as he could toward Anna’s room.  He did have a loaded pistol with him as with Simcoe’s return he did not go anywhere without it.  

       As Edmund entered Anna’s room, he could see that Simcoe had Anna pressed up against the wall, and she was fighting him furiously yelling for him to get off of her.  Her dress was ripped and he had her pinned so tight that she further crying in pain.  Edmund was so enraged, and in a growling voice, he shouted to Simcoe to let her go at once as he held up the pistol toward Simcoe.  

       Simcoe swung Anna around like a ragdoll and held her between himself and the pistol.  Simcoe also held a small knife to her throat that he seemed to pull from his coat pocket.  Edmund continued to be enraged, and in his low raspy voice, he yelled “Let her go, it is me that you want to kill not her.”  Simcoe responded, “Put the pistol down or I will kill her. You know how I like to slit people’s throats.”  Edmund put the pistol on a nearby table and again said “Let her go it is me that you want.”

       Simcoe threw Anna to the floor and went at Edmund.  Edmund’s training kicked in, the training that he spent so much time on after his captivity.  He stopped Simcoe and flipped him to the floor.  Simcoe seem a little surprised at Hewlett’s ability.  Simcoe also realized that he lost the knife.  It did not matter though as Simcoe went after Edmund again with his bare hands. They hit the table where the pistol was and both the table and the pistol went flying.  As the pistol hit the floor it went off.  Anna got up after shaking off her fall and went running downstairs to find a soldier for help and to retrieve the pistol that Richard kept in the study.

       Meanwhile, Simcoe and Edmund continued their hand to hand combat with both trying to kill each other with their bare hands.  Simcoe pinned Edmund up against the wall, and Edmund head butted Simcoe breaking Simcoe's nose.   As Simcoe fell back, Edmund got two punches in and knocked Simcoe down.  As Edmund went over to Simcoe, Simcoe kicked Edmund, which threw Edmund back.  Simcoe got back up and went after Edmund.

       Edmund took a punch at Simcoe, but Simcoe was able to block this punch.  Simcoe then punched Edmund twice in the face and knocked him into another table, breaking the table as he fell on top of it.  Simcoe went over to Edmund and this time Edmund got up with a quick punch knocking Simcoe back.  As Edmund came at Simcoe, Simcoe grabbed Edmund and they both crashed on the bed causing the bed to collapse.   Simcoe then grabbed at Edmund trying to break his neck with his hands.  Edmund was able to break the grasp and then punched Simcoe twice finally knocking him to the ground.  

       Simcoe then got up and ran at Edmund and sent him pummeling into the wall.  At this point Edmund could feel a sharp pain in his left shoulder but he was not about to give up.  Simcoe took a punch at him.  Edmund ducked the punched and using Simcoe’s imbalance, threw him to the ground.  Simcoe rolled over and moved to the window.  At that point, Anna came in with a loaded pistol.  Edmund was standing near the door while Simcoe was across the room.  Edmund took the pistol from Anna and held it on Simcoe. Anna heard the soldiers come into the house, and Edmund told her that she should go downstairs and have the soldiers come upstairs.  Anna left the room.

      Simcoe got up and just started laughing like a crazy man.  “What do you think will happen now?  Do you really think that anything will happen to me?  I have carte blanche from Major Andre. I can spin this anyway I want. I was meeting Anna for a tryst.  You were jealous as your fiancé was cheating on you and so you attacked me.  Even if they do not believe this story, do you really think that the British army or Major Andre is going to do anything to me for going at it with a colonial tavern whore?  I was not court martialed the first time and nothing will happen to me this time!”  Edmund was so angry at this point and he tightened his jaw and narrowed his eyes trying to stay in control as he held the pistol on Simcoe.  As he listened to Simcoe, he knew that Simcoe was right, especially as he thought about the story of how Simcoe had killed a spy at Andre’s dinner party and Andre did nothing.  Andre had not responded to Edmund’s protests of Simcoe’s behavior, and in fact, Andre allowed Simcoe to return to Setauket after his stint in New Jersey.

      Continuing to taunt Edmund, Simcoe said,  “I guarantee you that I will see you dead and have Anna one way or another even if I need to use physical persuasion like tonight. Meanwhile, your body will be shipped back to England because you had an unfortunate accident!  And there is nothing that you will do about it!”  Simcoe was now laughing like a demon.  As the soldiers were coming up the steps, Simcoe could no longer control himself.  He had picked up the knife when he got up off the floor and had hid it flipped up behind his arm.  Now, possessed by his own hate and desire to kill, a desire that he could not control, he lunged at Edmund.  Edmund, noticing the knife even before Simcoe began his lunge, fired his pistol at Simcoe.  Simcoe dropped dead as Edmund shot him through the eye!

        Simcoe could not control himself and wait for better timing just like he could not control the demon inside of him at the Battle of Setauket.  Now he was dead at the hands of Major Hewlett whom Simcoe believed could never do harm to him because he did not have it in him.  Simcoe was wrong!

       The soldiers came up and looked over the situation.  The room was ravaged.  All the furniture was smashed and Simcoe’s corpse was on the floor in a pool of blood.  Upon hearing the pistol shot, Anna came in the room screaming “Edmund,” and Edmund went over to her to let her know that he was okay.  He then quickly had a soldier usher her out of the room so as not to see the dead body.  

       Captain Wakefield came in and was very surprised by the state of the room.  Edmund then walked over to Wakefield explaining, “I had to shoot Simcoe in self-defense. Simcoe attempted to rape Anna, I caught him, we fought, and as he came at me, I shot him.”  Wakefield looked down at the body and noticed a small knife near the body. Wakefield added, “I see that he came at you with a knife.”  Edmund was not sure if Wakefield was only saying this to help his story out, but Edmund just shook his head yes.    Edmund was relieved that Simcoe was dead.

        Edmund grabbed a towel from the bedroom and put it to his cheek to stop the bleeding of a cut.  He then went downstairs to check on Anna.  Anna was sitting on a bench in the hallway still a little shaken with her dress ripped.  Abe, Mary, and Richard came in as they had also decided to leave DeJong’s fairly early.  They noticed all of the commotion and just stood in the hallway.  As Edmund came down the stairs, Anna flew past Abe and went over to hug Edmund and asked “Are you okay, you look …”  Edmund interrupted her and asked in a panicked voice, “Are you alright, what did Simcoe do to you?”  Edmund then ordered one of his men to go get a doctor for Anna.  Anna corrected him and said to go get a doctor for Edmund.  He had the cut across his check, another cut across his forehead, his eye was already swollen, and he had a separated left shoulder.  In response to Edmund’s inquiry, Anna said “I am fine.  I have a few bruises and a ripped dress.  Simcoe roughed me up a bit but that was it, nothing else!”

        Edmund looked reassured, and Anna then trying to make light of the situation, “I guess I will need to go to the dressmaker for a new dress, especially since I can put it on your account.”  That did get a grin from Edmund.   “That is what I love about you. You tangle with a man like Simcoe and you still have a sense of humor.”  Anna then had Edmund sit down as she was concerned about his injuries.  She held the towel against his face as the bleeding did begin to stop and she reiterated that he needed the doctor.

        Meanwhile, Captain Wakefield asked Richard if he wanted to go upstairs so that he could look over the situation because he wanted Richard, as the civilian magistrate, to eventually sign off on his report.  Richard did and was amazed because it looked as if a tornado went through the room or that a battle had occurred in the room.  Little did he know the violence and rage that each man had manifested in the final showdown.

        As Captain Wakefield came back down the stairs, Edmund now started to think about damage control.  He did not want any trouble with Simcoe’s men and this was the opportunity to get them out of town once and for all.  He also knew that Akinbode was second in command, but with Simcoe gone, he was not sure how the Rangers would react to his leadership.  Maybe if Akinbode could lead the Rangers out of town before they became mutinous over Akinbode’s leadership, Edmund could then give Akinbode the means to escape from the Rangers permanently and find his way to New York City to collect Abigail and Cicero in order to leave the colonies.  When Anna sent Cicero to New York City with Akinbode, she had explained to Edmund her motives, including the relationship between Akinbode and Abigail, which now Edmund could use to his advantage.

        Edmund had Anna go up to his room and take the money that he had in his desk drawer, which proved to be a nice sum. He explained his plan to Anna and Anna agreed that it would work. Both Edmund and Anna realized that without Simcoe, Akinbode’s days were numbered with the Rangers, and both Edmund and Anna now were in a sense rooting for Akinbode, Abigail, and Cicero, and their future together.  

        Edmund ordered Wakefield to get the men ready to march. They were going to pay a visit to the Ranger encampment before word about Simcoe’s death got out.  Anna did not want Edmund to go because he was hurt but Edmund said that he was fine.  He needed to finish this.  As Richard came down the stairs still overwhelmed by the damage, he asked if Edmund was okay.  Edmund said he was and that he would pay for the damage to the room.  Richard said that it was not necessary, but Richard did ask, “What shall I do with Simcoe’s body?  Edmund said “I do not really care, dump it in the Long Island Sound for all that I care.”

        Edmund’s plan worked in getting the Rangers out of town.  With Simcoe dead, they really did not want to stick around, and of course, they started fighting who would be the next leader.  Edmund suggested to them that they should head back to New York City to Major Andre under the command of Akinbode, and then have Andre appoint Simcoe’s successor.  Before talking to the Rangers and giving them the ultimatum to get out of town, Edmund, however, was able to first talk to Akinbode, who said that he would lead the Rangers from the town.  Edmund hinted to Akinbode that he would understand if Akinbode decided to eventually take off for New York City by himself before the soldiers decided to remove him as their temporary leader on their own.  Edmund then gave him the money and let him know that he could go a long way with it, and especially if he wanted to take someone with him.  Akinbode looked at Edmund with suspicion.  Edmund then related that Anna felt that Abigail was a friend and that she wanted the best for Abigail, which she knew included a new life with Akinbode.  Akinbode was still thinking that he was being set up, but he was desperate.  He then decided to trust the Major as he at least knew that the Major had a reputation as an honorable man.

       Simcoe’s Rangers were gone and Simcoe was dead.  Not bad for one night. The next week though Simcoe was not forgotten as Anna was having nightmares about him. Edmund on the other hand was sleeping soundly.  Because Anna’s room was destroyed, Edmund gave her his room and he moved downstairs to the sitting room.

        One night, in the middle of the night, Edmund heard loud screams and realized that it was Anna.  He was dressed in his pants and shirt as he decided over the next couple of nights to be dressed and ready if the Rangers made a surprise visit to Setauket.  He also had his loaded pistol nearby.  Upon hearing the screams, Edmund grabbed his pistol and ran up the stairs.  By the time he got there, Mary was in Anna’s room comforting her as Anna was sitting up with a horrified look.  Anna had a nightmare that Simcoe was in her room.  Richard was at the doorway and saw Edmund standing there with his pistol ready.  He thought better to take the pistol from Edmund and then Edmund ran over to Anna.

        Anna hugged Edmund tightly forgetting about his bad shoulder but he did not mind. “I saw Simcoe tonight. He was standing right over there with a demonic smile on his face saying that he was back.”  Edmund embraced her and tried to calm her down.  “Everything is okay. It was a bad dream.  Simcoe is dead.  I am here and I can assure you that Simcoe is not here.”  Anna still was shaking and then asked, “Edmund please don’t leave me, stay with me the rest of the night and hold me in my bed.”  Edmund continued to hold her and wished that he could stay the night.  He replied though, “In a few days my darling, I will be able to be with you all night, every night.  For now though you are fine.  It was only a nightmare.  I will be right downstairs.  But in the meantime, if you wish, Mary and I will sit here until you fall asleep.”  

        With that Anna did go back to sleep.  She did have the same nightmare the next night although she did not scream out because she realized very quickly that it was just a nightmare.  She was eventually able to put herself back to sleep, but it was hard for her to shut her eyes without seeing that monster!


	6. The Wedding

        Life was getting back to normal although Abe was avoiding Anna and Whitehall, but Anna did not mind.  Abe had tried to get Ben and Caleb to travel to Setauket to talk to Anna, but they could not get away in time.   Then again, Abe thought that if he could not get Anna to change her mind, what chance did Ben or Caleb have.

        Edmund received a letter from his parents congratulating him on his upcoming marriage.  He also was happy to share with Anna that his parents were looking forward to meeting Anna, and as a wedding gift, they deposited a considerable sum of money into Edmund’s bank account in England so that Edmund and Anna could purchase a home in England when they returned.

        The night before the wedding, Anna was lying in bed. She was wide awake as her mind was sifting through a number of things.  Anna at first had been excited about the prospect of moving to England.  Yet, over the last couple of weeks, living in Setauket seemed to be getting better.  She had actually made friends with Mary.  Mary assisted her so much in sorting out her feelings toward Edmund and in coming to terms with the ending of her association with the spy ring.  Mary further was wonderful in helping Anna prepare for the wedding and for her new life.  Anna now thought of Mary and Abe as a couple and Abe now just as a  friend.  She never thought that she could get to this stage where she would look at Abe as just a friend, but she believed that she was there.

        Anna missed Ben and Caleb and she wanted to very much see them again.  She knew that she had some explaining to do, but she somehow felt deep down inside that they would understand her decision.  She was sure that they might be disappointed in her, but because they had been through so much together as children and as adults, she knew that they had a solid friendship.  She was fairly certain that Ben and Caleb would want what was best for her and eventually they would come around in accepting her decision.

        Yes, Anna still felt some guilt about giving up on the spy ring and she was not able to shake that guilt completely.  It seemed that she felt the guilt most at night when she was in her room alone.  When she was with Edmund, she did not feel that guilt.  Once she married Edmund, she believed that by being with Edmund all night, she would no longer have that guilty feeling.

       It was getting late, but Anna was still wide awake. She began to think about what would be a perfect scenario for her future if it was in fact a perfect world.  She began to imagine that she would wake up tomorrow and hear that he war was over.  She would marry Edmund and then find out that Edmund’s father wanted Edmund to stay in New York City to run part of the family business from New York City.  They would live in the City and would be visited by their friends, Abe and Mary, Ben, and Caleb.  Anna could actually see Edmund and Ben becoming really good friends as they in some ways were made from the same mold and had common interests.  She though could not picture Edmund and Caleb spending time together but then again, Caleb could talk to anyone, and he would probably find Edmund a welcomed and interesting challenge.  But it was not a perfect world.

        Anna wanted to marry Edmund, but she wondered about how she would fit into English society.  She was leaving the known behind for the unknown and now she was starting to feel some apprehension.  Yet, she knew that England was where she was destined to be.  She wanted to marry Edmund and her place was with Edmund.  She knew that Edmund was homesick and he wanted to return to England.  He wanted to return to his parents and family.  He had a solid career and future waiting for him in England.  He had his interests and activities and social position that he could only enjoy in England.  Therefore, Anna gained a new determination to regain her courage and stop thinking too much about the future.  She believed that as long as she was with Edmund, her future would be fine!

         The wedding day arrived, and surprisingly, Anna was not at all nervous.  Edmund, on the other hand, was very nervous. Before the ceremony, which was being held at Whitehall, Edmund was running around Whitehall making sure that everything was just right.  Richard, who was his best man, was starting to lose his patience as he tried to calm Edmund down.  Edmund was rearranging flowers, chairs, and rugs.  He went into the kitchen a few times to check on the food and drink as he was afraid that they would run out.  He kept asking Richard if he had the ring.  Richard finally suggested to Edmund to take a drink to calm down, but Edmund refused as he did not want any alcohol on his breath for the ceremony.

        Mary was helping Anna get ready.  They finally made their way downstairs where the guests, the groom, and vicar were waiting.  Anna had a beautiful dress and her hair was beautifully done.  The husband of an acquaintance of Anna gave the bride away.

        As Anna walked down the aisle, she gazed at Edmund who was looking ever so much like her prince.  Edmund stood very straight and proper with a serious look on his face like he was going into battle.  Yet, when Edmund caught sight of Anna, his serious look turned into a warm and endearing smile.  Edmund was still amazed at how gorgeous Anna was and how radiant she looked.

        The ceremony went off without a hitch.  Edmund lovingly gazed into Anna’s eyes and held her warm hand as the vicar pronounced the vows from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer:  “Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?  Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?”  Edmund with a large smile on his face, said excitingly, “I do!”

        Anna then looked lovingly at those puppy dog brown eyes of Edmund and tightened her grip on Edmund’s hand as the vicar turned to her for her vows. The vicar used the same formula that he did for Edmund except she was further asked to obey.  Anna with a confident smile on her face, said “I do!”

        Edmund had a simple wedding ring to put on Anna’s finger as again he could not get into New York City to buy a better ring.  Yet, Anna did not mind as it was hers!  They were pronounced “man and wife” and for the first time kissed publicly in front of the guests.  Edmund could not believe that Anna was his wife!  What was once a dream, was now reality!

        The reception/luncheon was very festive. Edmund could not stop laughing and smiling and Anna seemed more relaxed than she had been in such a long time. The happy couple stood arm and arm welcoming the guests, talking to them, and accepting their congratulations.  They did not leave each other’s side or let go of each other until they went to sit at the table for the lunch.

        During the luncheon, Abe sulked but the rest of the guests enjoyed themselves.  Abe eventually excused himself with the excuse that he needed to look after Thomas.  Of course, Edmund had made sure that there was very expensive wine and brandy at the reception, and the guests, especially the men, were taking full advantage of the drink provided.  Richard gave the best man’s toast, which was short but very complimenting of the Major.  He did not have much to say about the bride.

        Edmund than asked if he could give a toast to his new bride although he realized that this was not the norm.  “I would like to say how happy this gorgeous and beautiful woman had made me by becoming my wife.  I am the luckiest man in the world to have someone who is not only beautiful, but also is kind, sensitive, independent, smart, compassionate, humorous, and well the list goes on.”  

        Edmund then turned to Anna, and, looking into her eyes, he continued with such charm and affection, “Anna, I am looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you and I will do everything in my power to make you happy, my darling.  You have all of my love and affection.  I will always be by your side and be there to protect and take care of you.  And when we are blessed with children, I will be there with you as we raise them together.”  Edmund then turned to the guests and ended the toast, “Please raise your glasses to the wonderful and lovely Mrs. Hewlett.”

        Anna took Edmund by the arm, and after they drank their toast, Anna leaned over and gave Edmund a very passionate kiss.  The guests starting clapping and Anna was not too fast in letting Edmund go.  Of course, Edmund was not complaining.  One or two of the male guests even shouted somewhat rude but funny comments toward Edmund as the couple kissed.

        The luncheon was over and many of the guests had their fill of food and drink.  A number of the male guests were feeling no pain from all that they drank.   As the guests left Whitehall, they wished the couple much success.  One or two drunken guests even tried to give Edmund some advice for the wedding night/honeymoon.  Everyone though was in very good spirits and no one was offended.

        Edmund and Anna now were looking forward to their honeymoon.  As Edmund could not leave the garrison for any length of time, Edmund and Anna could only get away for a few days for a honeymoon.  So as a wedding gift, Richard had an old fishing cabin, which he owned along the Long Island Sound on the edge of Setauket, fixed up for the couple’s honeymoon.  He had the cabin stocked with food that could easily be cooked or served cold and plenty of drink.  He even supplied some decent furniture for the cabin.

        As they arrived, Edmund was eager to carry his bride over the threshold.  He still had an injured shoulder from the fight with Simcoe, and therefore, had a bit of a problem in getting her over the threshold.  Anna did not want Edmund to hurt his shoulder any further, but he insisted on carrying her.  As Edmund stepped inside with Anna, he put her down and they both gazed into each other’s eyes.  As they were about to kiss, they realized that they were not alone as one of Richard’s maids was still working on cleaning up the cabin.  Edmund, looking disappointed, said that he would go and look after the horses while Anna went over to the maid to let her nicely know everything looked fine and that she could leave.  The maid showed her where a few things were at and then left.

        Edmund came in and saw Anna sitting on the couch and reading a small card.  It seemed that some of the guests at the wedding had written out cards to congratulate the couple, and the cards were left in the cabin for the happy couple to read.  Edmund took off his wig and jacket.  He then found the champagne, popped the cork, and poured it. He walked over to Anna and handed her a glass as he sat next to her on the couch drinking his glass of champagne.

        Anna was enjoying reading some of the messages.  Edmund found one from Captain Wakefield and all of a sudden his eyes grew wide.  Anna asked “What is wrong?” and Edmund said, “It is not at all appropriate, I did not know that Captain Wakefield could be so off color!”  Anna wanted to see the card, but Edmund said no!  Anna then leaned in to kiss him, and as Edmund was enjoying the kiss, Anna was able to snatch the card.  Once Edmund realized what she was doing, he looked embarrassed and tried to retrieve the card.  “You tricked me! What a way to start married life,” said Edmund, but Anna laughed stating, “It was the only way that I could see the card.”  As Edmund tried to snatch the card back, Anna got up from the couch reading the card, and Edmund had to chase Anna down to retrieve the card.  Eventually after some friendly and playful wrestling, Edmund got the card back, but not before Anna read the card and surrendered it to him.

        As they were now both laughing, they sat back down on the couch.  Anna then commented, “I need to see the card again as there is a phrase I do not understand. It must be an expression only used in England.”  Edmund said “I hope that you do not understand some of the language on this card!”  He then out of curiosity asked her to show him which phrase she did not understand, and when she showed him, he replied,  “Yes it is a vulgar phrase that would likely be used in the mess hall or pub but certainly not in mixed company and certainly not in front of my wife!  Wait until I see Wakefield.”  Anna could tell that Edmund was a little perturbed but found it funny herself.  She found Edmund so adorable being so protective of her.

        Edmund put down his glass, and Anna then put down the card and her glass.  They began to kiss, and as they felt the warmth of each other’s mouths and their touch as they were both now holding each other, their kiss became ever so passionate.  When they broke apart to get a breath, Edmund took Anna by the hand to pick her up to carry her over to the bed.  As Anna got up, she whispered “But your shoulder” and he said “It was fine.”  Before he could sweep her off his feet, they both heard loud voices right outside of the cabin.  Here, it was Robeson and a fellow smuggler bringing their contraband from a small canoe onto shore.  Edmund could not believe his eyes.  Smugglers at his honeymoon!

        Edmund went outside to chase them off as he was not going to get involved with any legal proceedings on his wedding night.  Robeson looked a little panicky when he saw Edmund, but he managed to say, “Hello Major.”  Edmund responded, “What the hell are you doing? This is my wedding day and you are unloading contraband in front of me.” Robeson recovered and said, “Congratulations on your wedding Major.  Is that your bride over there?”  By now Anna was looking out the door and she could not help but laugh. Robeson continued, “Major you should not be out here with us when you have such a beautiful bride waiting for you.  After all, I do not think you need any advice from my friend or me regarding how to proceed on your wedding night – you lucky dog!”  Robeson began grinning like a dirty old man.

        Edmund, by now looking somewhat disgusted, told him in a very loud and impatient voice, “Get this contraband out of here or else I will arrest you.”  Robeson and his companion agreed but asked Edmund for some help in loading up the boat.  Edmund said “no!”  Then Robeson found a nice bottle of brandy and offered it to Edmund.   “Here is a small wedding gift that you and the misses might like. It might relax your misses and give you extra courage for tonight.”  Edmund now looked shocked and very disgusted and yelled, “No I am not going to take that contraband. Get out of here.”  They quickly finished loading up and left.  As Robeson left he congratulated Edmund again and told him, “Now go in there and make the misses content, you know what I mean,” winking again like a dirty old man.  Anna, who was still watching, could not stop laughing.

        Edmund came back in and was just shaking his head.  He sat down and Anna helped him take his boots off.  She then sat next to him and they again began to kiss.  But as they began to kiss each other, Anna, thinking about the run in with Robeson, just started laughing.  Edmund pulled back and he started laughing as well.  Then he stated, “Let’s be serious.”  Anna replied even laughing louder, “Yeah you have to make the misses content.”  They could not stop laughing.  This was not exactly how they both planned their wedding night would go.

        Finally, Edmund looked lustfully in Anna’s eyes, and the laughing stopped.  They both now were looking at each other and began breathing more heavily as just their stares were arousing each other.  Edmund took Anna by the hand and led her over to the bed.  They began kissing as he gently laid her on the bed like he was laying an antique vase on the bed.  Their kisses became very deep and passionate.  They then began to caress each other in ways that they never dared to do before.  As they became further aroused, Edmund began to slowly and gently slide Anna’s dress off her shoulder and untie the front of her dress while Anna with a little more impatience began to unbutton Edmund’s vest and shirt.  

        In their Anglican wedding ceremony, one of the Scripture readings described how a man was to leave his mother and father and cling to his wife so that the two become one flesh.   Also, as part of the wedding ceremony from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, they pledged “with their bodies they thee worshipped.”  Well, that night, Anna and Edmund gave themselves to each other totally, completely, and fully. They were one with each other.  Needless to say they did not sleep much that night.  Anna discovered that the stuttering, proper, unsure, and shy Edmund was the very opposite that night.  It was a wedding night that they would remember the rest of their married life.


	7. Leaving Setauket

        Anna was enjoying married life with Edmund. Edmund doted on Anna so much.  He spent as much time as he could with Anna even to the point of delegating more duties to Wakefield.  His absence was noticed by his men although some of the men did joke that they would not be at the garrison themselves if they had a wife like Anna.

        Anna was pleasantly surprised how amorous Edmund was.  Anna was finding that Edmund was very sensitive to her physical needs and intent on pleasing her in the bedroom.  This was something she was not use to.  They would not always be on time for breakfast forcing the cook to make another breakfast.  Edmund would sometimes return home in the afternoon for “a nap” with Anna, and they would sometimes go upstairs right after dinner.

        Anna began to feel a little self-conscious about their “disappearances,” but Edmund did not seem to mind at all.  Again, being very logical, Edmund concluded that their behavior was typical for a honeymoon couple.  After all they did not have the opportunity to go away for a few weeks like the average honeymoon couple.  They did not have their own home where they would have privacy.  And, Mary and Richard would actually think it unusual that a newly married couple did not show any interest in each other. Besides, Mary and even Richard at one time were honeymooners and so why would they be surprised by Anna’s and Edmund’s behavior.  Leave it up to Edmund’s logic!

        Mary was very happy that the couple was now married, but in being around the couple, Mary became a little jealous.  She remembered the first couple of months of her marriage to Abe.  She was thinking of what wonderful days they were.  They had few worries, were very close, and could not seem to keep their hands off of each other.  Their relationship since then seemed to cool down and Abe became more distant until the last couple of months when their relationship seemed to greatly improve.  Now, Abe was in New York, and she was lonely for him.  She further wanted to see Abe because her most recent doctor’s visit confirmed that she was expecting a baby.  Richard was even a little jealous as he missed his conversations with Edmund.  Edmund was one of the few people in Setauket that Richard could have intellectual and interesting conversations about politics, literature, philosophy, and foreign affairs.  Now, he was acting like a love-sick schoolboy with that woman, Anna Strong.

        Anna found that by not having to work at the tavern or to take care of a house, she had time on her hands.  She decided to help an elderly couple living in the village, who was having a hard time keeping up with the day to day house chores due to their advanced age.  The couple only had one son who had been killed while serving in the rebel army.  The husband was a former friend of Anna’s father, and Anna felt a special duty to help and watch over this couple as they had no one else.  Edmund was very impressed with Anna’s efforts to help the couple.  It was just another example to him of how sweet and generous his wife was.  It did not even bother him that the son had served in the rebel army.

        The summer was progressing and their time at Setauket was running out.  One evening they were sitting on the bench overlooking the Sound while they contemplated leaving Setauket.  Edmund was holding Anna and Anna was snuggling her head on Edmund’s chest with her arms around Edmund.  Anna could sense that Edmund seemed a little tense and asked him what was wrong.  Edmund replied, “This war is turning into a world war with the French now sending troops and their powerful navy.  I just wish that this war would be over!  I want to take you back to England now!  I would resign my commission and take you back to England now if it would not be deemed an act of cowardice or desertion.  I do not want you to be married to a social pariah or someone labeled as a deserter.  The best news would be that both sides have entered into a peace.”

         Edmund continued, “The rebels are not ready to quit and our politicians seem to fail to recognize this fact.  In fact, I still hear stories of how people risk their lives spying for the rebel cause.”  With this comment, Anna actually shivered a bit but unfortunately Edmund did not notice her reaction.  Anna realized that she had been able to ignore her role as a spy for a few months and put that part of her past behind her.  Now, she had to revisit it again and she did not like it.

         Anna then held Edmund closer and said, “Let’s not talk about the war.  We should talk about what we are going to do when we return to England.”  Edmund very gently took his hand and lifted Anna’s head toward his face.  Her eyes were gleaming in the moonlight and her lips looked so delicious.  Edmund whispered, “I am the luckiest man in the world to have such an incredible wife,” and then he gave her a sweet and passionate kiss.  They stayed so for some time as Anna was lost in the kiss.

        When they pulled away to get a breath, Anna then asked, “Tell me what you see happening when we arrive in England.” Edmund began, “We need to look for a house. You, of course, will decorate it as you have very good tastes and I defer to your creative side.  I want you to feel comfortable in the house.  And, of course, you will run the household when you are not at the brewery.”  Anna looked up at Edmund somewhat surprised and asked, “What do you mean the brewery?”  Edmund laughed and said, “Do you think that you are going to just sit at home and look gorgeous?  I have plans that when we return home, we should start up a brewery.  The beers that you have served in Setauket are so much better than the beers that I have tasted in England.  I think there is a real market for your beers, and you will need to supervise the quality of the brewing as well as provide the actual recipes.”  

         Anna now had a confused look on her face, and asked again, “You want me to be a part of the business and actually be a manager?”  Edmund replied, “Yes, you have to do your part to make money for the family!”  They both laughed.  Anna, still not believing what she heard, asked again, “Seriously, you want me to help run a brewery?”  Edmund replied “Yes, I do. I will have to find a brew master for running the brewery but I want you to be in charge of the recipes.  And if any man does not want to work for you, he will be fired.”

        Anna was happily amazed that Edmund was going to make her a partner in his new business.  Edmund was going to defer major decisions to her and let her have a say in the family business.  Anna thought, “What a husband to have that kind of confidence in me and my talents and to be so progressive in allowing a woman to be involved in business!"  She realized that she had more to learn about her husband and was so proud of him.  Then in a teasing and playful voice, Anna said, “So then you just married me for my beer recipes.”  Edmund gave her a smile and said, “Of course!”  She pushed him playfully, and before they knew it, they were playfully wrestling.  Since their courting days, Anna was pleasantly surprised how playful Edmund could be.  This time, though, Anna cut their play short because she was fairly sure that she was pregnant.  

        In fact, the next day, Anna did go to the doctor and the doctor confirmed that she was pregnant!  Anna was so happy and gone were her fears that she would never be able to give Edmund children or have a family.  That night when Edmund came home, he found Anna to be in a very good mood.  Anna decided to drop some hints that she was pregnant and each time that she did, she found that it went right over Edmund’s head.  She was somewhat disappointed, but at the same time, she was not surprised by her Edmund missing the obvious.  So, Anna came right out and told Edmund that they were expecting a baby.

        Upon hearing the news, Edmund was so happy and hugged Anna for so long.  Then he began to rub Anna’s stomach and started to ask questions about how she was feeling, how far along she was etc….  Edmund was just so excited and his behavior was very much like the night that they became engaged.  He finally did calm down and they decided to wait for the next day to let people know.  They then went to bed, but Edmund was too excited to sleep.  Anna was tired and fell asleep while Edmund stayed up to write a letter to his parents to let them know they were going to have another grandchild (His brother and sister already had children).

        Over the next couple of days, it was finally sinking in that Anna was going to be a mother.  She began to reflect about the past six months or so, and in doing so, she realized how much she had fallen in love with Edmund.  She could not imagine life without him.  She only wanted to be with Edmund and he was the most important person in her life, well along with the baby.  And, she needed to tell him.

         One night, Edmund and Anna were lying in bed.  Anna was resting on Edmund’s chest listening to his heart beat and feeling his chest gently rise and fall as he breathed. A thunderstorm was brewing in the distance.  Anna knew that Edmund was very tired because he had a long day at the garrison handling some incidents, and later in the evening, they “performed some strenuous activity” in the bedroom before quietly lying in bed.  In fact, Edmund would usually get up to watch the thunderstorm as he was so impressed by how powerful and beautiful the thunderstorms were in New York compared to what he experienced in England, but he was pretty spent.

       Edmund though was not asleep because in a whisper, he asked, “Anna, are you awake?”  Anna said, “Yes, but I thought that you were asleep.”  Edmund replied, “No, I am still awake.  I did not get a chance to tell you earlier this evening, but I did receive the final orders and we are leaving two weeks from today.  The regiment is being reformed as we have been spread out through Long Island.  We will drill for about a month in New York City and then be shipped to the South to help with the Southern campaign.  The new assignment will probably involve combat duty.  I have to say that I have been somewhat spoiled here in sleepy Setauket. “

      Edmund continued, “I just want you to know that I have made arrangements, in case… well if something happens to me.”  Anna all of a sudden knew what that meant and she tightened her embrace on Edmund.  She then protested “I do not want to talk about it!” Edmund then held Anna closer and stated, “We need to talk about it.  I could get killed, and if I do, I have made arrangements for you and our child.  Before our wedding, I prepared my will leaving you everything.  Richard has the original and my parents have a copy. In England,  I have a bank account with money that I had before I entered the military, including money from the sale of my first house, my pay from the military, as I spent very little here in the colonies, and then money that my parents deposited for our house.  I also have the value of my commission, which my father already informed me that you should receive.”

        Anna was very upset and while holding onto Edmund for dear life stated that she did not want to hear anymore.  Edmund ignoring her request, “My parents already have informed me that if something should happen to me that they would want you to come and live with them.  They would welcome you like a daughter!  Once they find out that we are going to have a child, I am sure that my parents would be excited to have you and their grandchild living with them.  They also will want to help financially provide for you and the baby, but you should be relatively independent living off the income from my assets.  If you stayed in Setauket I would understand, but in a way, I would like our child to be raised in England and for my parents to help until ….. well… until you remarry.  I can only imagine that you will not be a widow for too long anyway as some gentleman will quickly snatch you up.”

        All of this talk brought tears to Anna’s eyes and Edmund could tell that she was beginning to cry.  Therefore, Edmund stopped the conversation, but he pretty much said all that he needed to say about the subject. The thunderstorm was approaching even closer with louder clasps of thunder and sharp lightning bolts.  Anna sat up a bit and looked at Edmund’s face in the dark.  She could not see his eyes in the dark but she could feel his warmth, and she began to pour out her feelings for him.  “I know that when we first married, you were so much more in love with me than I was with you.  I could tell you that I was falling in love and even that I loved you but I was still a little unsure of my feelings.  Now, I have to tell you that I am so much in love with you that I cannot live without you!  I was told by my aunt that it was good for the man to be more in love with the woman when they married because as time passes, the woman will naturally fall greatly in love with her husband, matching and even exceeding the love that he has for her. I can say that she was right!  I love you darling more than anything else in this world, except of course for our baby.  I need you so much Edmund and I never want you to let me go!  I know that I will never let you go!

          As Edmund heard this, he held Anna so tightly and lovingly and said, “I love you so much and I cannot put into words what this means to me.  I am the luckiest man in the world to have you and now our baby.  I just pray to God that He keeps me safe because I want to be with you and our child!  The thunderstorm was now outside their window, but Anna and Edmund were focused on each other, securely holding each other as they fell asleep.

         There were only a few days left before Edmund and Anna were due to leave, and they were saying their goodbyes.  As part of her goodbyes, Anna went to the cemetery and Edmund went with her. She was visiting the graves of her mother, father, and brother, probably for the last time.  It had finally sunk in that she was leaving Setauket for good.  It was a real tearful moment and Edmund held her tight.  She was sad as she was leaving but she also knew that she was leaving for a new life with a wonderful husband and a baby on the way.  She was starting a new family, but she at this moment resolved not to forget her own family and her life in Setauket!

        The day before they were to leave, Richard had a dinner for the couple. The captain of the unit who was replacing Edmund and his soldiers in Setauket was also at the dinner. The British were not abandoning Long Island or Setauket, but the Army decided to use less men to defend Long Island and use new raw recruits with no battle experience.  By the end of the evening, Richard realized that he could not stand this new captain, and he was surely going to miss Edmund.  The captain who was replacing Edmund was even more arrogant than Edmund ever was, was not very intelligent, and was so clueless.

         After the meal, Abe finally was able to catch Anna alone in the hallway and asked her to go into the library for a minute.  Anna agreed as she could tell that Abe looked very serious and somber.  Abe began the conversation very slowly and deliberate, “Anna, I just want to say that I am sorry for how I treated you, not just over the past few months but all of the way back to our engagement.  I never said that I was sorry for leaving you and marrying Mary.  I could not face you and explain why I had to break off the engagement.  I was a coward and I just somehow thought that once I was married, we would both get over each other.  Then over these past couple of months, I did not treat you well.  I was selfish and only thinking of myself.  I did not bother to even try to consider where you were coming from.”

         Abe continued, “Anna, you are…were an important part of my life.  I am going to miss you. I think about the time that we spent together as children, as teens, as …. comrades…. during these past couple of years, and yes, as lovers.  We have been through a lot together.”  By this time, Abe had real tears in his eyes.  “Our lives have taken us down different paths, but Anna you will always have a place in my heart.  And in the end, all I want is for you to be happy.  You have been through so much in your life, and you deserve real happiness! I could not give that happiness to you and I am sorry.”  

         Now, Anna was beginning to softly sob. They were both silent for a minute or two looking at the floor or ceiling rather than each other and trying to fight back the tears. Finally Anna took a deep breath and said, “Thank you Abe for being so forthright.  You know that you are right regarding how our lives have taken such different paths.  I certainly would have never been able to write such a story.  Yet, the paths that we are taking are very good ones and they seem to be the way our lives were to turn out!  I do love Edmund and I want to spend the rest of my life with him.  I see also how close you and Mary have grown over the past couple of months and how now you are going to have another child with Mary.”

         Anna pulled out a hanky to try to dry her eyes and stop crying. But she could not hold back the tears.  Even so she continued, “We have been through so much and I will never forget you, Abe!”  We had a past together and I cannot erase it nor do I want to.  I will always treasure what we had no matter how difficult it was.  I will always regard you as well… someone special in my life.  I think that we are both ready to move on.  I know that you will be happy with Mary and I will be very happy with Edmund in England. ” Anna then gave Abe a gentle hug and he gave her a hug as well. Now both could not keep back the tears.

        Edmund, who was looking for Anna, stepped into the room and noticed the two breaking apart from their embrace. He was not jealous as he could see that they were saying their goodbyes and he could not ignore that they did have a past together. And after the other night, Edmund was now ever more confident about his relationship with Anna.  As Abe let Anna go, he directly went over to Edmund and held out his hand to shake Edmund’s hand.  As they shook hands, Abe said, “I just want you to know that you have a very special woman and I want you to protect her and take care of her.  She deserves the best.”  It was as if Abe was giving Anna away like a father who gives away a bride at a wedding.

        After the firm handshake, Edmund replied, “Do not worry.  I am making it my life’s mission to take care of and protect Anna.” Abe said with a small smile on his face, “You had better.  If I hear that you have made Anna unhappy, I and some friends will be happy to travel to England to beat the tar out of you.”  Edmund now with a smile on his face replied, “If I am not a good husband to Anna, I deserve a good beating, and you have every right to do so.”  They shook hands again, and Abe then left the room. Anna went over to Edmund and put her arms around him.  He kissed her and they walked out of the room arm and arm.

         The day of departure was upon Edmund and Anna.  Anna boarded one of the wagons while Edmund was on horseback in front of the troops.  Anna looked around and had tears in her eyes. She was moving on to a new chapter of her life as she looked at Setauket and the people of Setauket for probably the last time.


	8. Setauket to Savannah

         Anna and Edmund made it to New York City.  They, along with the other officers’ families, were billeted in a few boarding houses on the outskirts of the city.  From the outside, the houses looked very dilapidated and inside they were in just as bad shape.  When Edmund saw the room where Anna and he were going to call home, he was furious as it was a pit!  He quickly got one of his men, who was known to be a very good scavenger and had the reputation of finding whatever the unit needed from the local population, to find a new mattress and bedding and a few pieces of furniture.  The soldier delivered in under 3 hours, and two other soldiers scrubbed the room down.  At least Edmund now did not need to worry about bed bugs, dirt or broken furniture, but he hated to leave Anna in such horrible surroundings.

         Edmund could not believe that the British Army could be so callous and reckless in housing its officers.  He knew that housing was limited, but the Army should not expect its officers and their families to live in such terrible and unsanitary conditions.  Meanwhile, in one direction near the rooms, there was a brothel while in the other direction there was a trash dump.  Edmund went to headquarters to inquire about finding new housing, but was ignored.  He was even more upset at the Army!

        Edmund spent the days training with his regiment while Anna was at the boarding house.  Anna wanted to take some time to explore the city, although Edmund was not happy having her pregnant and wandering around the city.  There were thieves, ruffians, drunk soldiers, and other elements that he was not happy to have her exposed to.  She was finally able to convince him that she would only go out into the city only if she was accompanied by some of the other wives and a soldier from Edmund’s regiment as an escort.  

         Meanwhile, Anna started to settle in.  Within a few days, Anna found a friend who was a wife of a captain in the regiment.  Her name was Rebecca Wheeler.  She was from New York City where she met her husband, Captain Robert Wheeler, while he was housed in her family’s residence.  Rebecca was about 5 years younger than Anna.  Rebecca’s father was a Loyalist and so was her brother.  Yet, Rebecca had another brother who actually joined the rebels causing a rift in the family.  Captain Wheeler was from a fairly prestigious merchant family in Greenwich.  Edmund knew the family fairly well and even went to school with one of Robert’s older brothers.

         Anna also made friends with Caroline Pelham.  Caroline was from England and her father was a wealthy banker in London.  She was married to Major John Pelham, the younger son of a baronet who lived outside of Greenwich.  Caroline was a few years older than Anna and already had two small children.  Anna started to regard Caroline like an older sister, especially because Caroline was so helpful with advice regarding what Anna should expect during her pregnancy and as she prepared for childbirth.

        Anna enjoyed exploring New York City although she was not use to the jostling crowds and the stench of the city.  She did miss the fresh air of Setauket and the slower pace.  She also missed not having Edmund with her as she explored the various shops and some of the older historic sites and churches.

         Edmund’s regiment trained for about a month and then he had to give Anna the news that they were leaving for Savannah.  Unfortunately, the families had to stay in New York until it was certain that the situation in Savannah was safe to send the families along.  Edmund did not want to leave Anna in the boarding house and thought about writing Richard to see if he would rent Anna a room (Anna knew though that Richard would never agree) or even Mr. Dejong who would always be happy for the money.  Anna’s rooming situation was resolved very quickly when Rebecca invited Anna, Caroline, and Caroline’s children to stay with her and her family in New York City until they could rejoin their husbands in Savannah.

        The regiment left for Savannah and Edmund did see combat as he anticipated. His regiment participated in the siege of Savannah.  Edmund actually distinguished himself as he led a small unit against a much larger rebel force who was trying to outflank the British line.  His unit was able to stop the rebel advancement until reinforcements could arrive, and in essence the actions of his unit under his command saved the flank and the British line.  He was mentioned in the dispatches for his heroic action and was promoted to Lt. Colonel.  He did though sustain a bullet wound to his shoulder.

         Shortly after the successful defense of Savannah, the families were allowed to rejoin the troops.  Anna could not wait to get to Savannah to help Edmund recuperate from his injury.  After the ocean voyage though from New York and still experiencing some morning sickness, Anna was very sick when she arrived, and it was Edmund who looked after her for a couple of days until she recovered.

         With his new promotion and recognition for bravery, Edmund was rewarded with being assigned to the Savannah garrison as second in command.  Anna found Savannah to be a quaint and beautiful southern city.  They had an excellent billet.  They were assigned to a large house owned by an elderly wealthy widow very close to the beach.  At night when it was quiet, they could hear the ocean as they laid in bed, and they could feel the nice sea breeze as they fell asleep.

         Both Anna and Edmund were enjoying life in Savannah, feeling a little guilty though because there was a war going on.  The war, however, at times seemed so far away. There were balls to attend although both Edmund and Anna agreed that they could be somewhat “stuffy.”  On the other hand, they enjoyed shopping at the various shops including bookshops, food and wine shops, and fabric/tailor shops.  Edmund found a nice jeweler and was able to spoil Anna with some precious jewelry.

        Edmund and Anna both enjoyed attending concerts and Anna was really beginning to appreciate some of the classical composers.  They enjoyed attending the theater and horse racing, which was sponsored by the locals.  Because it was not wise to wonder too far from the city limits, Edmund did miss hunting.  They also curtailed their riding, especially with Anna’s pregnancy.  Meanwhile, Anna found herself also attending weekly Anglican Church services. She had rarely attended church in Setauket and now she had a front row pew.  If Reverend Tallmadge could see her now!

        Anna had to admit that as the wife of the second in command of the city, she was enjoying the special treatment.  Shop owners gave her special treatment, and the local residents showed her deference and were very friendly toward her.  She did not take advantage of this status but nonetheless was enjoying it.

       Anna was enjoying Savannah with her close circle of friends. There were the Wheelers and the Pelhams.  Also, Edmund and Anna became friends of a younger son of a British earl, Major Fitzwilliam Collins.  Major Collins was tired of associating with his fellow toffee-nosed aristocratic officers and wanted to hang out with “real people.”  Major Collins admired the local young ladies, and he would joke with Edmund that he needed to find a colonial girl like he and Robert did.  Fitzwilliam acknowledged though that his father, the Earl, would be upset if he came home with a colonial wife, especially because he was expected to marry someone of "proper breeding."   But Fitzwilliam would joke with Edmund that if anything happened to him, he would be happy to take care of Anna.  Edmund sometimes wondered whether Collins was only just kidding.

        One area that Anna did not feel comfortable was dealing with some of the officers’ wives. They looked down on her especially when they learned about her background as a “tavern wench.”  These wives were from a different class and had a way of letting Anna know that she was from “an inferior class.” Anna, though, learned very quickly how to deal with them and put them in their place.  She was quick witted and fearless in dealing with them.  Edmund loved watching her in action!

        To keep herself busy during the day, Anna helped out at a local orphanage. She really enjoyed working with the children and was counting the days when her own child would be born.  Anna also organized social and charitable events with other officers’ wives.

        Although they were enjoying Savannah society, Anna could tell that Edmund was getting even more frustrated with the war.  Actually, the other officers that were in their circle had very similar sentiments.  On a more personal level, Edmund was beginning to hate the part of his duties which included rounding up rebel sympathizers and residents who were “aiding and abetting the enemy.”  Based upon past experiences in Setauket and now knowing how prisoners were treated, he was more lenient and more willing to give people the benefit of the doubt before charging them and especially before giving out a sentence.  He would not tolerate any violence against his soldiers but for charges like sedition or similar type of offenses that did not lead to any bodily harm or serious property damage, he was determined to show mercy.  He would not imprison anyone for such offenses.  After all, regarding the crime of sedition, he would have to start with his own officers who were becoming more open regarding their opinions of the folly of continuing the war.

        As an example of his leniency, Edmund let a woman off with just a warning when she was found to be nursing her injured son who was a member of the Continental army and was injured near his family farm house.  Some of the younger officers thought that Edmund was too soft, but it did not bother him because they had no clue regarding the conditions of the British prisons.    

         Anna had conversations with Rebecca about the war.  Rebecca had been conflicted about the war because her one brother joined the rebel side and her father and other brother were loyalists.  Then she married Robert, not because he was on the “right side” or because he was serving the King, but rather she fell in love with the man.  Anna of course never divulged her own sympathies but it was very calming for her to be with a friend who understood the complexities of choosing a side.  Rebecca loved people on both sides but finally followed her heart and married Robert.  Rebecca just wished that the war would end and then her own inner conflict would end.  This sentiment definitely hit home to Anna, and Anna wished that she could discuss her own inner turmoil with Rebecca.  Although she could not, Anna did feel closer to Rebecca after hearing Rebecca discuss her situation.

         Anna and Edmund enjoyed their first Christmas together, and then in March, Anna finally gave birth to their child, a boy.  It was early evening and Anna went into labor. The midwife and doctor arrived fairly quickly but Edmund was nervous.  He did not want to lose Anna or the child as he did his first wife and child.  His officer friends, John, Robert, and Fitzwilliam came over to keep him company while Anna was in labor.  Actually, they got a card game going and opened a few of Edmund’s good bottles of wine. Edmund, on the other hand, did not play or even take a drink.  They tried to coax him into a game by claiming that they would let him win a few hands, but Edmund was on edge.

        The baby came quickly and it was a good sized boy.  The doctor came downstairs to let Edmund know that the baby had arrived, but Edmund was already on the stairs to see the new baby and Anna while the officers began to open a bottle of brandy to toast the new arrival.  As Edmund went into the bedroom, Anna already had the baby bundled in her arms.  Edmund walked over in amazement as Anna was radiant holding their son.  “Are you okay my darling," asked Edmund?  Anna gave a small smile as she was very tired and worn out, but also was in awe of the whole event. Then in a quiet but very content voice, Anna replied, “I am fine, tired but okay.”  Looking at the baby and then Edmund, Anna continued, “Edmund, I have your son here. Would you like to hold him?”  

         Edmund gave a nervous smile but nodded yes and took the baby in his arms very gently as he sat on the edge of the bed.  The baby was cooing and seemed very content. Anna meanwhile laid back on a pillow with a big smile on her face.  Edmund looked at the baby and could not believe that this little guy was his and in his arms. Edmund then whispered to his son,  “You are precious!  I love you and you will never want for anything because your mother and I are going to take great care of you.  You are my boy and I will see that nothing will harm you.”  He kissed the baby and hugged him gently but closely.  He eventually then gently handed the baby back to Anna who took him also very carefully but very joyously.

         Edmund then kissed Anna on her forehead as she was holding the baby and Edmund said to Anna, “My darling you are so brave, fabulous, and incredible!  All that you went through. You did well. Thank you, thank you!  You are such a beautiful and admirable mother!”  He then put his arms around Anna and the baby and they stayed so for a while.  They were so immersed in this moment that nothing else seemed to exist or matter.

        The doctor finally returned to the room after celebrating with a drink or two with the officers.  As he came into the room, the doctor asked if the happy couple had settled on a name for the baby.  Anna and Edmund had actually settled on the name when they were still in Setauket. They were going to name him William Edmund because William was the name of Anna’s father and Edmund’s maternal grandfather.  Edmund looked at Anna and they both responded “William Edmund.”  By this time, the baby was getting somewhat fidgety as he was getting hungry.  Edmund did not want to let go but the midwife chased him away because she wanted to help Anna with feeding the baby.

        Edmund was enjoying fatherhood!  In the evening, Edmund would sit with Anna and little William in a small parlor in the house.  When William would start to get finicky and fussy, Edmund would pick up William and walk him around the house. They would walk room to room while Edmund would talk to him.  William especially loved looking in the mirror at himself, and Edmund would even play peek-a-boo with William using the mirror.  Edmund would walk little William into the living room where some of the younger officers usually played cards.  These officers looked at William as their little mascot and would announce to watch their language as Master William was in the room.

         Edmund would also sit holding William and in a quiet and soothing voice read his newspaper to William.  Or, if he was reading a book, he would read some of it to William. This would quiet William down if he was fussy and it would even put him to sleep.  Even during his first days, William was being exposed to major literature and current events!

         As the months rolled on, Anna noticed that William was very early becoming papa’s boy.  Edmund called his son “his young buck,” and William began to early on recognize his papa’s voice and face and react very positively to his presence.  When William was fussy or over tired, it seemed that only Edmund was successful in putting him to sleep. William, however, resembled his mother.  He had dark hair and dark brown eyes like his mother’s.  He had more of her facial features although he inherited his father’s very high distinctive cheekbones.

 

 

          Almost a year and a half went by, and it looked like the war would be over shortly.  Edmund was hoping for this especially when he found out that Anna was expecting their second child.  It seemed that the British were not making any headway in the Southern Campaign and the citizens back in England were very vocal in ending it now.  It was also getting dangerous for the British officers in Savannah.  Some rebel sympathizers were actually targeting British soldiers using guerrilla tactics right in the city of Savannah. One captain and one young lieutenant were shot and killed and eight enlisted men were either killed or wounded in guerrilla attacks.  As a result, Edmund made sure to have patrols in the neighborhood as well as outside the houses.  He also personally kept a pistol in almost every room of the house.

        Shortly after finding out that Anna was pregnant, the Hewletts were entertaining their friends, the Wheelers and the Pelhams.  As they were sitting at dinner, Edmund heard a commotion outside the front door.  He went to the front door and found that the soldiers stationed at the front door were taking off after some rebel sympathizers. Edmund returned very quickly to the dining room where by now everyone was standing and looking very alert. Then Edmund and Robert both saw some rebels sneaking through the side yard toward the dining room.  Edmund quickly grabbed one of the pistols in the dining room and shot the first intruder as he came in through the window.  Robert and John grabbed the second intruder before he was able to get a shot off and disarmed him.  As the intruder fought to get the pistol back, Robert shot him dead.

        As they were afraid that there were more intruders outside, Edmund moved the party into the library across the hall to the other side of the house and also where there were more pistols/hunting rifles.  Anna, however, was worried about William and bolted upstairs to see if he was okay.  Edmund followed her worried for her safety as well as his son.  William was sleeping in Edmund’s and Anna’s room, but when the pistols went off, they woke him up and he was crying very loudly.  When Anna arrived only a few steps ahead of Edmund, they both found him still crying, but he was in the arms of the nanny as she was trying to quiet him down.  Edmund grabbed his loaded pistol while Anna picked up William.  As Anna was trying to calm William down, Edmund sure enough heard some noises coming from down the hall.  He was sure that it was another intruder and he kept thinking  “Where are the reinforcements, Where is the patrol?”  With no help coming any time soon, he decided to take on the intruder and was able to shoot the intruder.

        After this scary event, Edmund was determined to send Anna, who was expecting another child, and William to England!  Never before had the rebel sympathizers went after families of officers or attacked soldiers in their homes.  Meanwhile, Anna was having a hard time processing what happened.  She could not voice her frustration, but she wondered why she should be threatened by the rebels after all that she had done for their side?   Of course, they would not know that she had once helped them, but she started to wonder if she was being punished in a sense for marrying a British officer?  Whether she liked it or not, she was now officially on the British side.  Was the old saying, “What comes around, goes around” being fulfilled?  She was very upset that she and her family were attacked.  Was it to be her fate to be killed by the rebels after she deserted them?  Eventually, she told herself that she was just being foolish thinking about the events as she did.  She was reading into things too much and she needed to settle her thoughts.  One thing she did know though was that she did not want to leave Savannah and travel to England without Edmund.  Edmund and Anna definitely disagreed on this issue.

        Another incident happened just a few weeks later.  There was a young man who was mentally slow and delivered groceries to the house.  Anna always enjoyed speaking with him and made sure that he received some cake and drink before returning to the shop.  One day after delivering groceries, he went into the living room where Anna was sewing and William was playing.  He then stated that he was a rebel sympathizer and pulled out a pistol saying that he had to shoot “a redcoat.”  Anna was shocked but was able to maintain her composure as she tried to reason with him.  She told him that there was no “redcoat” in the room.  It was just her and a small child.  She told him that it was just her, the woman that gave him cake and a drink.  Yet, the young man was determined to attack a “redcoat” and then took an interest in little William because he was going to grow up to be “a redcoat.”  Anna tried to remain calm and told him that William was not going to be a "redcoat," but rather he was going to be an astronomer.  The young man seemed convinced by Anna’s firm declaration that William was going to study the stars, but he then said that he would wait until a “redcoat” came home and he would not let Anna leave the room as well as William.  Fearing for her safety and especially for the safety of William as well as Edmund who might be returning home any minute, she was able to make her way to a desk while the young man was looking out the window.  She pulled out a pistol and shot the young man, killing him.

          Edmund was summoned home, and when he heard the whole story from Anna, he was horrified!  He spent the rest of the evening with Anna and William. He did not want to leave them, and he was paying special attention to Anna thinking that he had to calm her down and look after her emotional state after “killing a man.”  Anna, however, was calm.  Then again, she could not tell Edmund that this was not the first person that she had to shoot in self-defense.  She rather had to play along with Edmund as if she was more upset than she was. The shooting, however, did bother Anna, and again she wondered if it was payback for deserting the rebel cause. Then again, maybe by surviving these two attacks, it was a sign that her decision to marry Edmund and leave Setauket was the right decision.  Again, she had to stop thinking so much as she was driving herself a little crazy.  She knew that she was happily married to Edmund, she was the proud mother of a wonderful little boy, and she was thrilled to be expecting another child.

         Meanwhile, Edmund was now intent on having Anna and William sent on the next ship to England. He was insistent that his wife and son leave right away.  He was not even letting Anna discuss the issue with him.  Anna had never seen Edmund this dictatorial even as garrison commander. He was abrupt and cold to her when she still tried to discuss the matter.  But then again, Edmund was fearful for his wife and son.  In the end, it did not matter as a few days later they received news that Cornwallis was defeated at Yorktown, and they would be abandoning Savannah and returning home!

        Going home should have been good news, but Edmund found out that he could not leave with his family.  As second in command, he was selected to stay behind with a small force to cover the retreat.  Rebel forces were approaching and the garrison commander determined that he would need to leave a small force behind to buy them about twenty-four hours of time to safely board the ships and leave the harbor.  Edmund knew that this would mean that he would be there to surrender Savannah, and he and his small force would end up as prisoners of war.

        Memories of his previous status as prisoner brought back painful memories.  Yet, he had to tell himself that this time it would be different.  Now, it was the main Continental Army that was defeating the British forces, and there were a large number of British officers being captured.  He had not heard of any real abuses of prisoners of war, and he further deduced that Washington could not afford any bad press or stories getting out that the Continental Army was mistreating British prisoners of war, especially officers.  Edmund realized that he had to just keep thinking positive like this and that he would eventually make it home to his family.

         Now, though, he had to tell Anna that he was not going with them.  And, he had to say good-bye to them because he had to set up the defenses while the families and troops were boarding the ships.  Anna would be under the protection of Major Pelham, who was leaving with the main force, and he knew that John would take very good care of Anna and William.  This knowledge, however, did not make staying behind any easier.

         Edmund walked into their bedroom where Anna was already happily packing. She could only take a few bags for the family and so she was trying to decide what to leave behind.  William was in a make shift play pen.  She saw Edmund and noticed that he looked upset. Edmund said,  “Anna there is something that I have to tell you. I am not leaving with you and William.” Anna gave a puzzled look and asked,  “What do you mean?”  Edmund responded, “I have to stay behind to cover the retreat so that the main force and families, including you and William, can leave without being molested.  We will not need to put up a fight for very long for as soon as the ships are gone, we will surrender the city.”  

         Anna looked shocked and very upset.  She ran over to Edmund and hugged him very tight saying,  “Edmund you are not staying. You are coming with us. I do not care what the garrison commander says.”  Edmund replied, “The British army does not work that way.  I could be shot for desertion.  Besides, the enemy is right outside and the only way that everyone here, including you and William, will be allowed to leave if a small force stays behind and delays the approach of the enemy.”  Anna was still holding on to him for dear life.  He then told her as he held her tightly trying to fight back his tears, “I have to now say goodbye as I need to leave for the front line defenses.”

        Anna yelled “No” and continued to hold onto him while she began to sob almost uncontrollably.  By now, Edmund had tears pouring down his cheeks but continued, “John will be coming by any time now to help you finish packing and then take you and William to the harbor because you will need to start boarding the ships as quickly as possible. When you arrive in England, you will be escorted to my family’s house and then I will join you.”  Anna with a tearful sobbing voice said, “I remember the last time that you were taken prisoner. You were almost killed and I cannot let you go.”  Edmund continued to hold Anna and tried to reassure her, “I will be treated fine as a prisoner of war. I am now a Lieutenant Colonel and Washington and his army need to show the world that they are not barbarians.  I hear that they are going out of their way to treat the officers, especially the high ranking officers, with respect and making sure that they get back to England in good shape.  After all, they want to have good relations with England after the war.”  Edmund really did not know if all that he said was really true, but he did not want Anna to worry.  He also was trying to convince himself that this captivity would be different.

        Then, there was a knock at the door and it was Major Pelham. Edmund kissed Anna so hard and passionately as they continued to sob.  Edmund then let Major Pelham in as he was drying his eyes. Edmund then went over to pick up William and kiss him goodbye.  Edmund held his son tightly and whispered some words to him.  He then set William down on the floor and William could almost sense that his papa was leaving.  Now, William cried out out “Papa,” and began waddling after his papa.  Edmund picked up William again and went over to Anna to give her a last kiss. Edmund kissed Anna and told her to take care of herself and their children.  He handed her a note to give to his parents and they had their last few words as he held Anna and William.

        Anna kissed him again and told him that they would be together very soon.  Edmund then put William down and let Anna go. Edmund quickly started heading for the door to finish this very difficult good-bye.  William, watching his father leave, started screaming “Papa” over and over again, and tried to catch up with his papa as if he was going to go with his papa.  Edmund quickly left sobbing without looking back.  If he did look back to say goodbye one more time he would never be able to leave his wife, who was pregnant with their child, and their son.


	9. Arrival in England

         It was late morning, and Anna and William were sitting in a wagon in front of a nice large house in Greenwich, England.  It had been a long trip from Savannah and now they found themselves at their final destination.  The sergeant got off the wagon first.  He and an army private were ordered to escort Anna and William home from the port after they disembarked from the ship.  The sergeant was very friendly and was trying to help Anna feel at home in England.  He realized that it was Anna’s first time in England and that she was so far from her former home.  He also realized how awkward it was going to be for her to meet her in-laws for the first time without her husband by her side.

         Anna was very tired.  Now that she was a few months along in her pregnancy, she was still suffering from morning sickness.  And, she was still recovering from sea sickness. The trip across the Atlantic was fairly calm but she still felt queasy at times during the trip.  In fact, on the road to Greenwich, Anna had to have the sergeant stop the wagon a few times so that she could go into the woods and throw up.  Fortunately, William did not mind the journey as he adjusted to sea travel fairly well, and on the road to Greenwich, he took a liking to the sergeant.  William, however, kept asking for his papa during the course of their travels, which made Anna feel even worse.

        The sergeant was holding William, who by now was partly asleep, and Anna was standing next to him as the sergeant knocked on the door.  A servant opened the door and the sergeant asked, “Is Mr. or Mrs. Hewlett home?”  The servant first looked at the people at the door trying to figure out what was going on, but then allowed them to enter. She informed them that Mrs. Hewlett was home and asked them who was calling.  The sergeant responded, “Just tell Mrs. Hewlett that Sergeant Wells is here to deliver her daughter-in-law and grandson from America.”

         The servant went to find Mrs. Hewlett and in a few seconds, Mrs. Hewlett came flying around the corner looking very excited.  Anna noticed that she was short and slight in build.  She had graying hair and bright blue eyes.  She did not look physically like Edmund but Anna noticed right away that Mrs. Hewlett’s formal mannerism when she stopped to look at the people standing in her hallway was just like Edmund’s.

        At first, Mrs. Hewlett looked a little disappointed that her son was not standing with the party in the entrance way.  But then, she smiled and walked over to them.  The sergeant right away spoke up.  “Compliments of your son from America.  Unfortunately, he is still in America, but he asked me to deliver your daughter-in-law and grandson.”

         Mrs. Hewlett walked over to Anna and gave her a gentle hug saying “Welcome home my dear.”  She then released her embrace but continued saying, “ I have heard so many great things about you and now I finally get to meet you.  I am so happy that you are here and I want you to feel at home here!  Also, I now get to personally congratulate you on expecting another child.”

        Meanwhile Anna was feeling very self-conscious, especially when Mrs. Hewlett hugged her, because she had not had time to bathe and thought that she must have smelled pretty rank.  Anna right away tried to apologize for her appearance, but Mrs. Hewlett right away said, “No, don’t worry, you are fine. You are amazing how you still look beautiful after a transatlantic voyage. No apologies needed!”

        Mrs. Hewlett then looked over to her grandson who was still half asleep in the arms of the sergeant.  The sergeant handed over William to Mrs. Hewlett who was so eager to take her grandson.  He started to wake up as Mrs. Hewlett took him in her arms, but unfortunately, because William did not know who this woman was and he was tired, he started to cry out for his mother.  Anna said to William, “Don’t be so shy. This is your grandmother and she wants to say hello and give you a hug. You like hugs!”  William still cried for his mother and tried to wiggle out of Mrs. Hewett’s arms for Anna’s.  Mrs. Hewlett obliged and handed William to Anna.  Anna again said to William, “William this is your papa’s mother.  This is no way to act!”  Mrs. Hewlett just said, “No bother, we will have time to get acquainted. He is tired from his long journey and probably hungry as well.”

        As Anna held William, she guessed that William’s diaper needed to be changed and hinted to Mrs. Hewlett that they both needed to wash up.  Mrs. Hewlett then called for the male servant, Henry. “Henry, please show Anna and William up to the guest room.  It should be all made up, but they will need towels and some hot water.”  Mrs. Hewlett continued, “Anna, when you and William are ready, please come downstairs as I will have some lunch laid out. You both must be very hungry.  After lunch, you will probably want to nap.”  Anna nodded in total agreement and went upstairs with William.  Meanwhile, the sergeant signaled to the private to bring their bags from the wagon, and the sergeant helped Henry take the bags upstairs.

        When Henry came down the stairs to get some hot water and towels, Mrs. Hewlett actually changed her mind.  “Martha can get the hot water and towels. I need you to go find Mr. Hewlett at his club and have him come home right away.”  Then she told the sergeant and the private to head to the kitchen for some lunch as they must be hungry as well.  The sergeant and the private were very appreciative as they were hungry and went into the kitchen.  Mrs. Hewlett followed them, and had her cook serve the soldiers.

        Meanwhile, Mrs. Hewlett started to ask them about her son as she wanted to know what exactly his fate had been.  From Edmund’s last letter, she knew that they were expecting another child and that the war seemed to be going very badly, but she had not received any news of their last days in Savannah or even that Anna and William were on their way home.

         The sergeant told her that he knew of Colonel Hewlett and then reluctantly told her that her son had to stay behind and was more than likely taken as a prisoner of war. He explained how Colonel Hewlett had to stay behind to cover the retreat, which meant that he was still in the middle of some shooting.  But, the sergeant then tried to remain upbeat and stated that he was extremely sure that her son was alive and well as a prisoner of war and he even now could be on a ship headed home for England.   Mrs. Hewlett looked very worried as she remembered Edmund’s first ordeal as a prisoner even though Edmund had spared her many of the disturbing details.  She had always feared for the safety of her son and now she still felt that fear even after hearing the encouraging words of the sergeant.  She had to tell herself though that she needed to stay positive for the sake of Anna and William.

        Anna and William came downstairs.  Anna still did not feel entirely clean because she was not able yet to take a full bath.  She did though appreciate the hot water and towels to get most of the dirt off of her and at least she did not smell.  A good bath after her nap was in order!  When Anna and William arrived downstairs, Mrs. Hewlett left the kitchen and walked them into the dining room.  She then asked Anna how she was feeling regarding her pregnancy.  Anna responded, “I am very tired and I am still suffering from some morning sickness, but overall the pregnancy is going well.  I was sick this morning and so I am not sure how much I can eat.  I want William to eat something and then I think we both need a nap.”

        Mrs. Hewlett nodded and said,  “I am so sorry that you are still feeling sick.  That should be passing soon though.  You still need to eat something and especially drink something to keep your strength up and avoid getting dehydrated.”  Anna with a sleepy smile agreed.  With that, the cook came into the dining room with some chicken, bread, cheese, and drink.

        Anna made up a small plate for William, and he ate everything on his plate.  Anna ate very little but did drink some fruit juice and a glass of wine as she was very dry from the trip. The cook then brought in some fresh apples and pears, and Mrs. Hewlett asked William if he wanted any fruit.  William nodded his head yes but kept saying he wanted some “peaches.” Even as Mrs. Hewlett cut up an apple and tried to give him a few apple slices, William kept asking for “peaches.”  Anna explained,  “William developed a real fondness for peaches in Savannah.  In the backyard of our house, there were some peach trees, and when William started to eat solid food, Edmund would sit William on his lap in the backyard and both of them would eat slices of freshly picked peaches.”  As Anna said this, she really started to miss Edmund and her eyes even became misty as she remembered watching her two boys sharing some peaches on a warm summer day.

        Mrs. Hewlett smiled and said “Unfortunately William I do not have any peaches.  How about some apples?”  At this point, William began rubbing his eyes and started to cry “Peaches, peaches with papa.”  Both Anna and Mrs. Hewlett looked at each other but then Mrs. Hewlett quickly stated, “I have some cake that William might like.  Little boys like cake.”  Anna said, “Don’t worry Mrs. Hewlett.  William ate enough.  He usually will eat any fruit. He is just tired and needs a nap.”  Mrs. Hewlett smiled and said,  “He is like his father as Edmund loved eating fruit as a boy.”  Anna gave another sleepy smile and agreed,  “Edmund still loves fruit and fruit pies.”  They both then became quiet in this awkward moment. They both missed Edmund and wanted him to be there, but he wasn’t!

        The silence was interrupted by Mr. Hewlett coming into the house all excited and very loud.  “Where is my grandson, where is my daughter-in-law?”  Mrs. Hewlett called that they were in the dining room and Mr. Hewlett came in.  Mr. Hewlett was short and had a thin frame although he was starting to put on some weight around the middle.  He had brown eyes and wore a white powdered wig.  He had those distinctive high cheekbones.  Edmund definitely resembled his father.  Anna also found that they had very similar voices.  In fact, she at first thought that she heard Edmund enter the room rather than Mr. Hewlett, although Edmund seldom raised his voice.

        Anna got up and Mr. Hewlett came over and looked at her.  “My, you are more beautiful than my son could put into words. He made quit a catch. Well my dear, welcome to England! I am sure you will like it here.  Please feel at home and whatever you need please do not hesitate to ask!” He went over to gently hug her but was somewhat hesitant and even clumsy because he was not sure what the protocol should be.  He did not want to appear to take liberties but he wanted Anna to feel welcome.  Sensing his hesitation (after all, he was acting just like how Edmund would act) and feeling cleaner after washing up, Anna took the initiative and hugged Mr. Hewlett, and he was very relieved.  

        Then Mr. Hewlett looked at his grandson, who was actually starting to eat the apple slices because he was still hungry. Mr. Hewlett went over and brushed his hand over the top of the boy’s head, rustling his hair.  William just continued to eat.  “Good to see that the boy has such a good appetite.  He is such a handsome and strapping boy!”  Then Mr. Hewlett looked at William to introduce himself.  “I am your grandfather, and I am so happy that you are here. We are going to get to know each other quite well.” William looked up and smiled at his grandfather.  It looked like they were going to be good friends.

        The soldiers were now leaving and Anna noticed that as Mr. Hewlett walked them to the door that he put some money into their hands thanking them for delivering his family safely. The soldiers protested that they could not take the money but Mr. Hewlett insisted in that now that they were back in England, there was things that they could spend the money on. The soldiers looked at each other and figured what the heck as they accepted the money and left.

        Over the next couple of weeks, Anna and William began to settle in.  Anna’s good friend, Rebecca Wheeler, and her husband settled in Greenwich, and Rebecca was a constant and welcomed company for Anna.  Caroline and John Pelham were now living in London, and they dropped in to visit Anna to make sure that she was doing okay.

        Anna was further getting to know her in-laws. Anna found Mrs. Hewlett to be so kind, caring, and sincere.  Mrs. Hewlett was intent on making Anna feel at home and feel like she was part of the family.  Anna was feeling very comfortable with Mrs. Hewlett and was really taking a liking to her.  Anna enjoyed her conversations with Mrs. Hewlett and was enjoying her company.  Mrs. Hewlett was a smart woman who knew much about a lot of things, but at the same time was very humble. She was devoted to her family and was the peacemaker in the family.  She was very social and had many friends, and she was very good about introducing Anna to them without making Anna feel like she was on display.

        Mrs. Hewlett wanted to make sure that Anna was under the care of a doctor for her pregnancy.  She made it no secret that she was excited for another grandchild and she wanted Anna to be comfortable and anxiety-free during her pregnancy.  She knew that Anna was worried about Edmund and she tried her best to hide her own worries about her son to help convince Anna that he would be home soon safe and sound as she was determined to do on the first day of Anna’s arrival. Anna was not only enjoying Mrs. Hewlett’s company but she was starting to think of her as family and was even considering calling her “mother.”

        Anna saw that Edmund’s personality was very much like his mother’s.  And, she quickly picked up on the close relationship that Mrs. Hewlett had with Edmund.  Anna was not jealous of this relationship because she believed that Mrs. Hewlett was not the possessive type.  As a mother now herself, Anna could understand the love that Mrs. Hewlett had for her son.  Mrs. Hewlett definitely had a very soft spot for Edmund compared to her relationship with her other children. It seemed that part of this special relationship sprang from Mrs. Hewlett’s attempt to help her son in light of his challenging relationship with his father.

        Anna also came to a better understanding of Mr. Hewlett.  Anna found that Mr. Hewlett could be very opinionated, strong willed, business-like, and tough. He had a “strong personality.”  Yet, around the female members of the family, including herself and especially Mrs. Hewlett, he was less so.  In fact, Anna found that Mrs. Hewlett had him wrapped around her little finger.  It was actually kind of funny at times to watch him “obey” Mrs. Hewlett and defer decisions to her.  He always seemed to welcome her opinions. Anna saw that Mr. Hewlett was very devoted to Mrs. Hewlett and spoiled her.  

        Mr. Hewlett was also very kind and good to Anna. He seemed to admire her own headstrong and independent qualities. He agreed with Edmund’s assessment of her that she was more hardy than English girls and he like that quality.  Mr. Hewlett even voiced that he was so proud of Edmund that he could convince someone like Anna to marry him and to produce such a hardy son who was “all boy.”

         From her conversations with Edmund and now from her stay with her in-laws, Anna was able to draw a fuller picture of the tensions that existed between father and son. She knew that Mr. Hewlett had very demanding expectations for Edmund and he was the major influence for Edmund entering the Army because he believed that it would help him “continue to grow into manhood.”  And, he still believed this.

         He continually told Anna and Mrs. Hewlett that he was so proud of Edmund and his Army career.  After all, Edmund reached the high rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army and distinguished himself in battle. He served as a garrison commander and second in command of a major colonial city.  He was wounded for his country and fought the enemy head on. He suffered major adversities in fulfilling his duty, but he did not shirk from his duty and served as a valiant soldier.

        Unlike Mrs. Hewlett who had been upset that Edmund was serving in the Army (When Edmund had to find a career upon the losses of his father’s businesses, Mrs. Hewlett had hoped that Edmund would have entered the Anglican Church as a vicar.), Mr. Hewlett viewed Edmund’s wartime experience and injuries as instrumental in making Edmund tougher, making him a leader of men, and giving him the ability to handle adversity and difficult situations.  Mr. Hewlett wanted his sons to be tough, strong, and ready for the rough and tumble business world.  He was proud that Edmund found his inner strength that he never knew he had because he had always been so gentle and quiet, which he attributed to and even partly blamed on Mrs. Hewlett.  According to Mr. Hewlett, gentleness and empathy were desired and admirable characteristics for women or for certain males who were doctors or a vicars, but not for men who had to compete in the business world and for his sons who were to take over the family business.  His sons further had to take care of and protect their families and could not show weakness.  Mr. Hewlett believed that the Army had changed Edmund for the better and helped him become a better man. Mr. Hewlett also was very confident that his son would return from captivity because he was a “Hewlett and a survivor.”

        Both Mr. and Mrs. Hewlett spoiled William.  Mrs. Hewlett really enjoyed taking care of William.  William was enjoying all of the attention from his grandmother and every morning would happily get out of his bed to see his “grandmama.” Mrs. Hewlett enjoyed making him breakfast, making him clothes, and taking him for walks.  William enjoyed going to the stores with his grandmama and sampling her baking.  In the evening they would play together and then she would read to him before bedtime.

        Mr. Hewlett was also just as attentive. He would take William to his office. He would play ball with him before dinner. Mr. Hewlett would take William to the stables to see the horses and take him for a ride in his carriage. William really liked the horses just like his father. Mr. Hewlett would bring home toys for William, and he even sought out peaches that William loved. Peaches in England were very hard to come by, but Mr. Hewlett found probably the only grocer in the Greenwich area that sold peaches. Mr. Hewlett paid a handsome price for those peaches as they were imported originally for one or two of the aristocratic families in Greenwich, but nothing was too expensive for his grandson!  And, Mr. Hewlett even began to inquire about growing some peach trees in his own backyard in the spring.

        William also took a strong liking to the family dog, an English Springer Spaniel named Windsor.  Windsor took a special liking to William as well and they became inseparable. Windsor would follow William around and would sit under his chair at meal times. Of course, Windsor enjoyed all of the scraps that fell from William’s plate, but he loved William and William loved him!

        Windsor became very protective toward William.  On one occasion, a worker came in the house to deliver the wood for the fireplaces. William was napping in the siting room in a makeshift playpen and Windsor was laying besides the play pen. Anna and the worker came in the sitting room as Anna was showing the worker where to put the wood. Windsor was not sleeping but was lying there contently.  When Windsor saw the stranger walk near the playpen though, he began to growl and show his teeth as he was not happy how close the stranger was getting to William.  Anna had to hold the dog while the worker put the wood down and leave the room.

        William also enjoyed with playing with his cousins. Sunday afternoon dinner was usually when the family would gather at the Hewletts.  Edmund’s brother and his family lived in Greenwich and so they were regulars. Edmund’s sister lived in London with her family and they came for dinner about half of the time. Anna found Edmund’s brother to be just like Mr. Hewlett, but she liked him well enough. She did not know Edmund’s sister that well as she did not come around as often, but she seemed nice enough.

         Anna and William had moved into Edmund’s old room that he stayed in as a child and just before he left for the Army because he had already sold his house that he had shared with his first wife.  It was a larger room than the guest room, and so Mrs. Hewlett offered the room to Anna, but only if she felt comfortable doing so. It was fairly cleaned out, but it still had Edmund’s clothes, books, and other various items. Mrs. Hewlett kept it the way that Edmund had left it before he left for America in the hopes that Edmund would not be gone for too long.  Anna wanted to stay in the room, sleep in his bed, and just be around the items that he was around when he stayed there. Anna did find time to read some of the novels that were in the bookcase.  As she read one of the books, she imagined Edmund curled up with the same book in the same chair but only years younger. She felt as if she was reading the book with Edmund.

        During the course of her stay in the room, Anna did find two items that Mrs. Hewlett must have missed when she prepared the room for Anna. Anna found the wedding ring of Edmund’s first wife and a locket which contained what was probably a lock of hair of his first wife.  They were tucked away in a small drawer under winter gloves and socks.  Anna felt strange handling these items and even a little jealous. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hewlett was delivering some clean laundry and noticed Anna looking at the items. Mrs. Hewlett apologized greatly for such an oversight and was so embarrassed. Anna had to reassure her that she was not bothered, but she did turn them over to Mrs. Hewlett because she did not want them in her room. Mrs. Hewlett again apologized, but Anna again told her that she was not troubled although she had to admit to herself that she was just a bit.  During the course of their marriage, Edmund did not really say much about his first wife to Anna, and Anna did not really ask much about her.  Anna, in turn, never talked much about Selah and Edmund never really asked much about him as well. Anna thought about asking Mrs. Hewlett about Edmund’s first wife, but could not bring herself to do so.

        Eventually, Anna received a letter from the regimental commander to inform Anna that Edmund’s name was listed as a prisoner of war by the colonial army and that he would be returned to England “in the near future.” Anna was relieved that he was still alive but anxious that no date was given when he was expected to return.  She realized that she had to be patient and wait for his safe return.

 

 

        It had been about seven weeks since Anna and William arrived to live in the Hewlett's house.  Autumn was giving way to winter and although it was getting colder, Anna was outside in the backyard hanging laundry.  She heard a horse approaching around the back of the house, which was somewhat odd.  She looked up and saw Edmund dismounting from the horse.  Could it be?  Edmund tied up his horse quickly and looked at Anna. Their eyes met and they both ran over to each other.  Edmund was going to pick her up but when he saw how pregnant she was, he just put his arms around her and held her so close.  Anna started to tear up and then he took her face into his hands and began to kiss her. They kissed very hard and passionately and then Edmund began to kiss her all over her face. Anna then embraced him and pulled him close to her as she felt his warm body through his vest and shirt, smelled his scent which she so missed, and felt his strong arms around her. She began to sob saying over and over again, “I cannot believe that you are home.” Edmund, as he continued to hold her so tightly, whispered so affectionately, “The war is over and I am home for good!”

        Edmund then put his hand on her stomach and looked down to her stomach asking her how she and the baby were doing. Anna responded, “Everything is fine. Both mother and baby are doing well, especially now that you are home!” Noticing that Anna was crying as she spoke, Edmund took out his hanky to wipe away her tears.  He was smiling at her as he wiped away the tears and then gave her another deep passionate kiss.

        Anna had noticed that Edmund had lost a lot of weight. He was of a slight build to begin with, but now his uniform was just hanging on him.  When she hugged him, she could feel his bones.  After the kiss, Anna then looked Edmund in the eyes, and asked, “How are you?  You are so thin, are you sick?”  Edmund replied, “I am fine. Nothing that a little home cooking cannot cure and of course some nights with my wife!”  Anna laughed and said, “You are your old self after all!" They kissed again! Edmund then asked how William was, and then how his parents were doing. Anna responded, “Let’s go inside and see!”

        They walked arm and arm together toward the house as Edmund looked around to take in all of the sights that he had not seen for almost 6 years. As they entered the house, Edmund saw his mother coming out of the kitchen into the hallway with some towels.  In a soft voice, Edmund said, “Mother, I am home.” Mrs. Hewlett looked at Edmund as if she had just seen a ghost. She almost fainted and Edmund ran over to her to catch her.  They then both hugged each other so tightly.  Mrs. Hewlett now was crying, “My son is home, my baby boy is home, Thank God!”  Edmund was all choked up and could not say anything as he held his mother. He had tears in his eyes as he had not seen his mother in almost six years. She had definitely aged but was still as he remembered.

        She quickly pulled back and commented how thin he was. “I hope that you are not sick, you are so thin. I can feel your ribs. You are all skin and bones.” Edmund looked at his mother and in a reassuring voice, “I am fine. I need to put some weight on, but otherwise I am in good health and I am so happy to be home with my two favorite ladies.” With that he motioned to Anna and they ended up with a group hug. “Now where is little William? I bet he is not so little. And, father where is father?”  Anna said that William was sleeping in his playpen in the sitting room and his father was actually in town and would be home soon.

        Edmund went quickly into the sitting room and of course scared Windsor who was sleeping by the playpen. He woke up with a growl but before he could lunge at Edmund, who was a total stranger to him and who woke him up, Anna was able to grab him.  Edmund looked surprised but then recovered as William started to wake up as a result of all of the commotion. William wiped his eyes and saw his papa standing in the room.  He cried out “Papa” recognizing Edmund right away.  

        Forgetting about the dog, Edmund picked William up and hugged him so closely. William kept yelling “Papa” and was so happy to see him.  Edmund kissed him a few times and then started rough housing a bit with William. William was now laughing so loud as he tried to escape from his father as part of the game. Edmund then hugged William very closely and pulled Anna into the hug as well. William calmed down and they just stayed so.  Mrs. Hewlett was crying again as she saw this happy reunion. This was actually the first time that she saw her son, her daughter-in-law, and her grandson all together. It was such a happy sight! Even Windsor started to realize that Edmund was not a stranger but belonged in the household.

        Mr. Hewlett came home, and Mrs. Hewlett approached him to give him the good news. Mr. Hewlett walked into the sitting room where the young family was now just standing together, and Mr. Hewlett went over to his son. Edmund looked at his father, and his father looked at him. Edmund handed William to Anna and he approached his father. Then they both began to hug each other, and Mr. Hewlett began slapping Edmund on the back with a  “Glad to see you son, I know that you would make it back safely.”

        Finally after the happy homecoming hellos, Mrs. Hewlett suggested that the adults sit down to lunch. She said that she needed to start fattening Edmund up now. Edmund was actually very hungry and they all went into the dining room after Anna was able to put William back to sleep for his nap. Meanwhile, Mr. Hewlett broke out the good brandy to toast the homecoming of his son.

        Anna and Mr. Hewlett were eager to find out what Edmund went through in captivity.  Mrs. Hewlett was not as eager to discuss the matter. Edmund began by stating, “We were able to hold off the rebel advancement until every ship had disappeared over the horizon.  With only a few casualties, I was able to lift the white flag.  It was strange because I wanted the war to be over, but I actually had to admit defeat.” Edmund seemed very somber and deflated as he discussed this aspect and even his father seemed a little irritated, not at Edmund but at the Army.  In fact, Mr. Hewlett commented, “Son, it was not your fault that you had to surrender. You had the courage to stay behind.”

        Edmund then continued his story. “I handed the commander’s sword as well as my own over to the rebel commander.  I ended up having dinner with the rebel commander and he was actually a very nice chap. We were treated very well in Savannah, but after a week we were moved to the Yorktown area where the rest of the main army was being held captive. That was another story.”

        Edmund took a drink and continued, “There were so many prisoners and the rebels did not know what to do with us. A few of the rebel officers were actually looking to take revenge on us and enjoyed making our lives difficult.  For the first week, my men and I were not treated very well. We were given a few buckets to collect our own rainwater for our water supply because they claimed that fresh water was scarce. Fortunately there were a few storms and we were able to collect and ration the water. The food was mostly bread with moldy cheese. The bread was also sometimes moldy. I was very afraid of disease breaking out in the camp and tried to speak to a rebel officer asking for better conditions. It was very hot and although the officers were given tents to stay out of the sun, the enlisted men were not. A few of our men even died of sunstroke.  Yet, the rebel officer that I was escorted to ignored my requests to improve conditions stating that British soldiers were no better than dogs.”

        By this time, Mrs. Hewlett stated that she did not want to hear anymore as she was very troubled. Edmund though stated that he needed to say more because there was more to the story. Edmund held his mother’s hand to assure her that everything was fine and that the story would actually get better. Edmund then continued. “Almost the very next day after I was ignored, I was called to another rebel officer’s tent.  This officer introduced himself as Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge.” Anna’s eyes widened and repeated, “Ben!”  Edmund then smiled at Anna and said,  “Yes, it was your friend, Ben Tallmadge. Of course, I did not make the connection right away. He asked me into the tent and served me some water and a glass of wine. I drank the water and wine as I was very dehydrated. He was even going to have a plate of food brought to me but I refused because I did not want to eat better than my men. When it came to the fresh water and wine, I could not say no to it.”  Mr. Hewlett nodded his head, “I understand, but you were very honorable in not accepting the food if your men could not eat the same. Water you need and in all honestly, I never knew you to turn down a class of wine”

        Edmund went on. “Tallmadge introduced himself and asked me if I was the Edmund Hewlett that married Anna Strong. It seemed that he had a list of officers being held as prisoners and he came across my name.  I said yes, and then he right away asked how you were and where you were,” as Edmund looked at Anna. “I told him that you were on your way to England with our son and that you were fine.  He seemed very happy for you Anna that you were safe and that you are now a mother. Tallmadge then further talked about you Anna and it then occurred to me who this officer was.”

        “Anna, I have to tell you that I was very impressed by Colonel Tallmadge.  We talked for a good amount of time while of course he provided me more to drink. We talked about you and your childhood days with Tallmadge. He even game me some good stories about you.” Anna looked a little embarrassed but then asked Edmund to clarify if he was talking just about childhood stories. Edmund was now laughing as he was thinking about some of the stories and said, “He gave me some good childhood stories about you.”

        Then getting more serious, Edmund stated, “I found Tallmadge to be an honorable officer and gentleman. He told me that my men would get fresh water and better food. He was even going to visit where we were being held to make sure his orders were being followed.  And, he did!  He also arranged for me and my men to board the first ships to return to England.  He kept us healthy and got us home as soon as possible.  At first, he was only going to find room for me but I did not want to go without my men.  He honored this request and found room on the first ships headed for England for me and my men.”

        “I also met your other friend, Caleb Brewster.” Anna gave a smile and asked how Caleb was doing.  Edmund replied, “You told me stories about the man, and that was the only way to prepare me for meeting him.  He is his own person and is say unique. He is happy go lucky, not big on protocol, and speaks before he thinks. He was definitely the opposite of Tallmadge.”  Anna had a big smile on her face as she thought about Caleb.

        Edmund then took Anna’s hands and said, “I owe, no, we owe Ben Tallmadge for looking after me. We owe him my life. You have some incredible good friends!”  Edmund then kissed Anna’s hands and further relayed that he did provide Ben with his parents’ address because Ben wanted to contact Anna.  Anna was excited to hear this although she could not fully disclose why she was happy to hear this.  For Anna, it may have meant that Ben had forgiven her for marrying a British officer and for leaving the spy ring. After all, he did look after Edmund and had asked for Anna’s address.  Anna was looking forward to getting a letter from Ben, to reconnect with him, and to find further proof that he did not bear a grudge against her.

 

 

 

         Edmund and Anna were going to stay with Edmund’s parents until Edmund settled into a new job and could buy a house for Anna. Edmund was scheduled to resign his commission after Christmas and at the beginning of the new year. Meanwhile, Mr. Hewlett was so proud of his son and his service in America and even suggested that Edmund stay in the Army.  Edmund, however, was intent on resigning his commission, and of course, Anna and Mrs. Hewlett were happy about that. Mrs. Hewlett assured Edmund that he would be joining his father and brother in the family business. Mr. Hewlett did tell Edmund that he was planning on spending less time working, and he wanted to give over the day to day business affairs of the family business to Edmund and his brother.  Yet, Mr. Hewlett continued to drop hints to Edmund that he had a bright future by staying in the Army.

        Edmund and Anna had no trouble adjusting to being back together. As Edmund had said, he just needed to spend some good nights with his wife, and yes they were definitely enjoying some very passionate nights.  Anna was now no longer lonely in her bed although William had to get use to sleeping in another room because Anna originally had him sleep in her room while Edmund was gone.  

        Edmund, however, was having a bit of trouble adjusting to civilian life and getting over some of his experiences in the Army. He still suffered nightmares and would wake up yelling in the middle of the night. Actually both Edmund and Anna had to deal with nightmares from their own traumatic experiences during the war while in America, but being back in England did not seem to lessen the severity. They had each other now to calm the other down, but the worse part for Anna was that she could not share some of her nightmares with Edmund.  Also, both Edmund and Anna wondered what the parents thought as they must of heard some of the commotion. Yet, Mr. and Mrs. Hewlett said nothing.

        Edmund’s personality did undergo a bit of a change and he was trying to deal with it. He was not very patient and was definitely more confrontational and even hostile than he was before he left for America. Fortunately he was not like that to Anna or his mother because he truly idolized them, but to others, he was a different person.

        For instance, his brother had asked him to meet some friends in the pub for lunch the week that he returned. Edmund was still in his uniform when he sat down with his brother and his two friends. When Edmund went to the bar to get another round of drinks, a customer, who had a little too much to drink and was sitting at a table next to the bar, made a crude remark about the “precious Colonel.” Edmund knew the customer and knew that he had a brother who was killed in the war. This customer seemed to resent Edmund because Edmund had a “cushy post in Setauket and then Savannah.”  He said as much to Edmund and Edmund tried to ignore the comment taking into account that the customer lost his brother.

        Then the customer told Edmund that while his brother was fighting and dying for his country, Edmund was enjoying his privilege and chasing after his tavern wench whore to _________ ( a real vulgar statement). At that point, Edmund did not back down because Anna was now being insulted. With force and that stare similar to the one that he gave Simcoe the night he returned from captivity, Edmund told the customer to shut his mouth or he would make sure that it would be months before he could talk again. Then, he whispered something to the man, who in turn did shut up with a frightened look on his face. Edmund then went back to his table and told the party that he was leaving, against the protest of his brother and friends. But, his brother and friends were very shocked by Edmund’s aggressive and hostile behavior as they had never seen this side of Edmund. His brother was somewhat worried about Edmund.

      Meanwhile, Mr. Hewlett had Edmund accompany him to his club of course in full military dress. Edmund put up with this for his father’s sake.  Edmund tried to keep his patience as the older men in the party kept romanticizing army life and the soldier fighting for his country in the war. Fortunately Mr. Hewlett’s friends blamed the failure of the war on the politicians and not the soldiers.

        Yet, one of the men that had joined the party who was very arrogant and not particularly liked by Mr. Hewlett began to make some rude comments about how the soldiers in the war did not do their part and how they were not ready to fight and die for their country. Edmund had it and unleashed some very choice words upon the man who was beginning to sink in his chair. That man’s son was present and came over to the table to stand up for his father. Edmund then stood toe to toe with the son ready to punch him out!  Fortunately one of Mr. Hewlett’s friends stepped in and offered to buy another round of drinks for the party while the man and his son left. Mr. Hewlett almost saw his son start a brawl. He actually was somewhat impressed but at the same time he did not recognize his son who was always very mild and well mannered. Edmund was not happy with his behavior and was wondering if he would ever be able to go out in society as the old Edmund.

        It was late one night, and Mr. Hewlett returned from a business meeting. He thought that everyone was asleep but found Edmund sitting in the living room with a glass of brandy in front of him and an almost empty bottle. He could tell that Edmund had a little too much to drink but he could also sense that Edmund was upset and he even looked despondent. Mr. Hewlett sat down across from Edmund and asked, “Is everything okay, son?  You are definitely not yourself. I have seen you a little drunk at a party, but not at home drinking by yourself!”

        Edmund looked at his father and asked, “Were you serious about me staying in the Army?. Are you trying to tell me that there is no room in the family business for me?.” Edmund was slurring his speech a bit but he was very coherent in his thoughts. “Actually, I do not care as I will start my own business and take care of my family. There is no way though that I am going to stay in the Army.  At the beginning of the new year, I am going to resign my commission.”

        Mr. Hewlett was somewhat surprised by Edmund’s tone and what he had to say as he was challenging his father, and for the first time. Sure Edmund was drinking but he was standing up to his father in a respectful but serious way.  He was very assertive that he was going to start his own business and take care of his own family. Mr. Hewlett was actually somewhat pleased by his son’s assertiveness. Mr. Hewlett replied, “You accomplished much in the Army and you served your country well. You can continue to do so as it such an honorable tradition.  But, I cannot make you and you know that your mother will kick me out of the house if I did not offer you a place in the family business.”

        Edmund then looked at his father with a very serious look as if he sobered up quickly. Edmund proceeded to tell his father, “In my letters because I knew that mother would read them, I never put fully what I had to deal with and contend with while serving in the Army.  I never relayed to you the atrocities that I witnessed, the hardships, the despair, and pain that I experienced, and the lack of moral fiber and professionalism of the British Army that I had to deal with and witness. You do not know what Anna and I went through although you could probably hear us at night as we wake up yelling from our nightmares. My poor wife was terrified, threatened, and assaulted on more than one occasion. I am not going to subject my family to Army life.”

        Edmund then spent a good amount of time explaining to his father what really happened during his time in America, including but not limited to the horrible British prison ships, how he was set up by Simcoe and the actual details of his captivity, the atrocities of Simcoe that went unpunished etc….   He did not spare any details.  Edmund discussed what Anna had to go through and even what William was exposed to.

        Mr. Hewlett was very quiet as he was beginning to feel foolish for his own idealism and naivety. He never knew what his son went through and he began to realize the toll that the war had on his son and his new family. Edmund and he stayed up late into the night talking and Mr. Hewlett was even more proud of his son, but for different reasons. He could not believe what his son actually endured and how resilient he was in what he had to deal with.  It was a special night as the two men really began to bond and Mr. Hewlett was starting to reconsider those expectations that he had for his son.  Mr. Hewlett would still be proud to show off his son in his redcoat and wig until he resigned his commission, but he now understood why Edmund wanted to leave the Army and he was actually in agreement. It was the beginning of a new and closer relationship between father and son.


	10. Home Sweet Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is the Fall of 1783. The Treaty of Paris was signed and the Revolution is officially over. This chapter is a bridge chapter that summarizes Anna's and Edmund's lives since returning to England and sets up Anna's next issue. There are no conversations in this chapter.

 

_Fall of 1783_

 

          It was a warm fall evening, somewhat unusual for England, and Anna was lying in bed trying to fall asleep. She was now mistress of her own house, a very nice townhouse in Greenwich, England.  Anna had almost carte blanche in decorating it and making it a real home for Edmund and their two children.  As mistress of the house, she oversaw two servants, a cook, and a nanny.

        This night, Edmund was not lying next to her because he was at the Greenwich Observatory and would not be home until early morning.  Sometimes Anna would actually accompany Edmund to the Observatory as she had grown to really enjoy looking and learning about the stars and galaxies.  She was so much in awe of what she could see and comprehend with the larger telescopes that she now had access to.  Edmund, however, had to be discerning about when Anna could accompany him because many of the astronomers did not want a woman in the observatory.  Therefore, Edmund could only have Anna accompany him when he was certain that certain astronomers would not be there that night.

         Anna could not fall asleep and decided to look in on her sons.  William by now was 3 and a half years old.  Anna and Edmund had their second son while settling in England and now he was one and a half years old.  Their second son was named Simon for Anna’s deceased brother.

        Anna walked into the room and saw both boys fast asleep.  Their two English Springer Spaniel dogs, who slept at the foot of the beds, both woke up and lifted their heads. When the dogs both realized that it was just Anna they put their heads down and went back to sleep.  Edmund’s father saw how close William was with Windsor and so he gave Windsor to William when they moved to their new house. They also acquired another Springer Spaniel puppy that they called Bentley.  William one day pointed out that Bentley was Simon’s dog while Windsor was his.

         As Anna looked at the boys, she had such a smile on her face.  Her boys were like little angels lying in their beds so peaceful and content.  Anna went over first to gently kiss William without waking him.  She covered him with a sheet as he had kicked it off.  She then went over to Simon and kissed him as well.  Then she sat in the rocking chair in the room for a few minutes to watch over her sons as they slept.

        Simon looked very much like his father including having the distinctive high cheekbones.  He also had his father’s personality.  Simon was quiet and gentle, and he was a very content baby.  He was also a very observant young guy who could give a look like he was deep in thought, very unusual for a baby but much like his father.  Simon followed his routine like clock-work.  He went to bed at a certain time and would sleep until it was time to get up.  He ate when it was time to eat.  He only seemed to get cranky when he was off of his routine.  Simon was a Mommy’s boy though.  When he was learning to walk and would fall he would automatically look for his mommy.  When Edmund and Anna walked into the room, he would instinctively go over to Anna first.  Edmund would joke that his boy was very discerning like him when it came to the ladies

         William resembled Anna with his big dark eyes and dark hair.  He had Anna’s nose and mouth.  He did though have Edmund’s distinctive high cheekbones.  He very much had Anna’s temperament and he reminded Anna so much of herself as a child.  He had unboundless energy and was a very active and curious boy.  But he also did not like to listen to directions and was very good at finding trouble.  For instance, he would give the food that he did not like to the dogs when he was told not to.  He used one of his father’s first edition books as a coloring book.  He would fight to take a bath and one evening, he decided to take off from the nanny who was trying to get him ready for his bath.  William ran yelling and squealing down the steps wearing nothing more than a diaper and ran into the room where Edmund was playing cards with some business associates.  Yet, most of his transgressions were small, but they were driving Edmund crazy.

        Edmund and Anna had different opinions regarding discipline.  Anna, realizing that William was very much like her as a child, agreed that they had to discipline him but she wanted to give him more latitude before punishing him.  Also, as he was so young, she did not want the punishment to be so severe.  On the other hand, Edmund was not use to such spirited children, and being the stricter parent, thought that William needed more discipline. William was Papa’s boy and he would be upset when Papa seemed disappointed with his behavior.  But it did not stop William from his antics as he seemed to have a short memory.  Finally though, Edmund did admit that maybe he had to “get use to William’s spirited personality” and maybe change his expectations for his son.  Anna realized that Edmund was trying not to be like his father by creating a specific mold of what his children should be like.  Edmund admitted that William had many of the qualities of his mother, those same qualities that he fell in love with, and so maybe he could be a little more tolerant and less severe in punishing William.

        William did admire his father and looked forward to doing things with him.  He would wait for him in the entryway to come home in the evening.  He enjoyed riding with his father as Edmund would take him on his saddle and they would go for a ride. They would wrestle together and play with the dogs.  Williams started to accompany his father in the evening at the telescope that Edmund had set up in the backyard.  William knew that his father was in the Army and he learned how to salute.  He would beg to hear stories about being a soldier and Edmund would make up fun stories to tell him.  Edmund certainly was not going to talk about what really happened.  William was under the assumption that his Papa had helped the British win the Revolution, and Edmund did not have the heart at this point to set the record straight.

        Besides the time that Edmund spent with William, both Anna and Edmund spent a lot of time with their children which was very different than most middle class English families.  Edmund did insist that they have a nanny, but the job ended up including housekeeping duties to keep the nanny fully employed. Anna still insisted on taking care of the children when she was home.

        Anna really enjoyed their special time on a Saturday morning.  Before getting up and getting dressed, Anna or Edmund would gather their sons and bring them into their bed where they would all hang out together.  Sometimes they would take a nap together. Sometimes, Edmund would wrestle with the boys against Anna’s protest that someone would get hurt by falling out of bed.  Or, they would just lay there, talk, and tell stories to the boys.  Anna was very impressed by how Edmund was such a good storyteller and how he would make up tales to keep the boys captivated.

         Anna and Edmund would take the boys for picnic lunches in nice weather.  Anna was very good at pointing out the different flowers and trees. They would take their fishing rods and fish as well. The past summer, Edmund taught William how to swim.  Edmund just picked him up and threw him in the river.  William actually loved it and took to the water like a fish.  Although it was not considered proper for a lady to go swimming in public, Anna did not care and joined them for a short swim.  Until the weather changed, they would ride down to a remote part of the river and go for a swim.  Of course, Simon was too young and he was not happy to be left at home.

        Edmund and Anna would take the boys to the stables to look at the horses. They would play in the backyard. Edmund was so impressed by how athletic Anna was and how good she was at certain games that were seen as “games for boys.”  Anna played with boys when she was growing up and did not see why she should not play with her own boys.  Again, she did not care if she was being unlady like in playing games.  And, in the evening, they would read to the boys.

         Sometimes, they would be joined by other families.  Anna became good friends with Edmund’s sister who would sometimes travel to Greenwich from London with her children, although they were a little older, and spend the day with them.  Anna and Rebecca also were like sisters (Rebecca was from New York who married the British officer, Robert Wheeler, and they also settled in Greenwich) and were constant companions.  They lived very close to each other and Rebecca had two children, a girl and a boy, the same ages as William and Simon.  In fact, Anna and Rebecca would kid that they should arrange the marriage between William and Rebecca’s girl now, especially as the children played so well together.

         Anna continued to sit in the rocking chair and was so amazed at her two little boys as she watched over them!  She loved them so much and was so in awe that she and Edmund brought such little angels into the world!  Then, she looked down to her stomach and began to rub it as she and Edmund were expecting another baby.  Anna thought back to the time period just before she married Edmund when she was nervous whether she would be able to have any children.  Well, that question was more than answered because they were married almost five years and were on baby number three.

          Both Edmund and Anna were both hoping for a little girl.  Anna was living in a house full of males. Even their two dogs were males!  Anna began to imagine though Edmund as a father to a little girl.  She grinned as she saw Edmund treating his daughter as his “little princess.”  And, God help the young man who wanted to court Edmund’s little girl.  Anna was now laughing to herself imagining the suitor coming to the house for the first time having to meet Edmund and ask for permission to see his “little princess.”  She could see Edmund pacing back and forth engaging in conversation with the nervous suitor only making the suitor more nervous.  Actually, it would not really be a conversation but more of an interrogation.

 

 

          Anna then decided to let her sons sleep in peace and made her way back to her room.  She was still wide awake and could not sleep at all.  She settled into one of the chairs in their bedroom and helped herself to a small glass of wine. She lit another candle as one candle was making the room too dreary, and she sipped her wine.  As she did, she continued to reflect upon her new life in England.

         Anna had a very busy life and was enjoying her new relationships.  She really came to care for her in-laws and even started to call them mother and father.  Mr. Hewlett could be a hard man to like, but Anna got along with him so well.  Unfortunately, he suffered a major heart attack during the summer and since the heart attack was pretty much housebound. Mrs. Hewlett was nursing him and was so devoted to him.

         Anna really came to see Mrs. Hewlett as her second mother.  She only knew her real mother until age 12 and now she really enjoyed having an older and wiser lady to confide in, to ask advice, and just to spend time with.  She actually enjoyed the time that she would spend with Mrs. Hewlett and Edmund’s sister. Mrs. Hewlett treated Anna like a daughter.  Yet, she was very careful to not insert herself between Edmund and Anna and to pry about their affairs.  Mrs. Hewlett made sure to not spend too much time at their house as they lived very close to each other.  Anna was very appreciative that Mrs. Hewlett was able to let go of her son to Anna’s care.  Meanwhile, Mrs. Hewlett and Mrs. Hewlett continued to dote on their grandchildren who enjoyed the company of their grandparents.

         Anna had a number of social acquaintances including the ladies who were neighbors or were the wives of merchants and friends of Edmund.  Edmund had a few business associates that he included as friends and two childhood friends that he still stayed in touch with.  One of his childhood friends was now the local doctor and the other was a merchant.  Also, Edmund was a church warden of an Anglican Church in Greenwich, and he developed some good friendships with his fellow church wardens.

        As Anna enjoyed this social network, she still was not as close to those people as she was with Rebecca.  They both were fellow New Yorkers who really understood each other and their bond was strengthened as sometimes they were treated as outsiders by Greenwich society.  Some of the ladies in Greenwich were very obvious that they did not like Anna’s American background or her background as a tavern keeper.  At different events and parties, Anna had to deal with these ladies and their antics in putting Anna down, but she was very good at doing so and Rebecca even began to follow her lead as she was subject to the same behavior.

        Anna was getting very good at verbal sparring.  She had always been quick witted, but she was even getting better!  Anna had to deal with Edmund’s logical approach in their fights at home.  Actually, Anna and Edmund really got along, but every once in a while they would have a squabble which Edmund would turn into a debate.  Anna would take him on in debate and Edmund would enjoy the challenge.  He, however, knew that Anna would eventually get emotional and full of fire and so he would intentionally wind her up.  She would get frustrated, eventually stop with the logical approach, and just tell him exactly what she wanted to say in a very loud voice.  Nonetheless, her quarrels with Edmund had definitely improved her verbal skills!  

         And she used these skills on the ladies that tried to put her down.  Anna would not back down from insults or sly remarks.  For instance, at one ball she was introduced by one lady to her group of friends as the “colonist.”  She politely but firmly corrected the lady that the “colonists: won the War and are called “Americans.”  When one woman mentioned that she never had been to the colonies, Anna told her that maybe she would be fortunate enough one day to go to America but for now she would not hold it against her.

         With her background, Anna sometimes wondered if she was the appropriate wife for Edmund and whether she was holding him back in social circles.  One time she voiced this and Edmund was insistent that she never bring this up again.  He informed her that if anyone ever had a problem or prejudice against Anna, he had no time for that person as well.  He eased Anna’s anxiety by pointing out how many people did like her and they were the only ones who counted in his book!  He assured her that he did not mind defending “her honor” because “her honor” was worth defending.

        Edmund was very protective of Anna and would not hear any disparaging comments about her or her background.  He had no problem correcting people who said anything negative about the new United States of America. Anna could not believe how sympathetic Edmund was about her homeland as he sometimes sounded like an American supporter himself!  If someone questioned his loyalties as a result, Edmund, however, would fall back on his war record but he still would not tolerate any badmouthing of the United States.  Edmund had at times commented on how impressed he was with some of the attributes and values of America that that he had experienced while living there, and Anna wondered if he was just saying so to make her feel less homesick.  But watching him defend her homeland, she started to really believe his sincerity.  

         And, if any man referred to her as a “tavern wench,” Edmund would not tolerate it!  Edmund was so protective of Anna that he was ready to fight anyone who maliciously insulted her and would not apologize. Very few did make those type of comments around Edmund, but there were a few, especially after a night of drinking.  Edmund did not believe in dueling but he was ready to engage in fisticuffs if needed. That was usually enough to discourage the few men who could not keep their comments to themselves. After all Edmund was a former soldier and he did not back down.

        In the end, Edmund and Anna were making a life of their own, and were not interested in being major players in the Greenwich social circle. They had their friends and acquaintances and they were happy with that.  Of course they attended functions, balls, and parties, but after what they had been through together while Edmund was in the Army, they both came to appreciate their own life together.

        Also, upon his return to England, Edmund could not believe how the middle class and merchant class values began to change.  He knew aristocrats took mistresses/lovers, but it had been previously looked down upon and viewed as socially unacceptable by his own class.  Now, it seemed that they were attending balls and parties where married men and women were looking for some extracurricular activity with other men and women.  They were looking at these affairs as a “game” partly and part of the thrill was starting the rumors but actually not getting caught.  And, Edmund could not believe how much flirting was going on at these events.

        Anna noted that even a couple of women had actually tried flirting with Edmund at different functions, but of course had no luck. At first, Edmund was clueless and thought that the woman was just being friendly.  Yet, when he realized what the woman was up to, he became so nervous and clumsy.  Then he would go looking for Anna and hold onto her like a small boy would hold onto his mother when he was frightened.  Anna would just laugh as that was her Edmund.

        As Edmund was definitely appalled by this behavior, Anna was too. Of course, people cheated on their spouses in America, but it was definitely not seen as acceptable in society.  Anna, however, did say one day to Edmund as they discussed their observations that maybe she could not be so judgmental as she herself committed adultery. Edmund would not hear of this.  First, in Edmund’s eyes, Anna could do no wrong.  And, her case was “different” as he put it.  In her case, Anna had just found out her husband had died and she fell into the arms of her childhood sweetheart whom she had wanted to marry.  For Edmund, there were so many mitigating circumstances that Anna’s “misfortune” was not like the "adultery" that seemed to be running rampant among the younger generation in Greenwich.  

         A couple of the young men, however, did show an interest in Anna, partly because of her background which they thought of as being “different and exciting.”  Anna, though, had no problem taking care of them as their flirtations proved harmless.  One man did try to make advances toward Anna, but was unsuccessful.  The man was taking a small group on a tour of the house and while the party moved ahead, he led Anna into the library to “show her a painting.”  He then tried to kiss her, but Anna just gave him a stiff knee to the groin.  Edmund saw this as he was walking into the room to find her and the tour guide. Edmund just laughed as the man had no idea who he was tangling with.  He took Anna by the arm, told her “that’s my girl,” and they walked out leaving the man still doubled over in great pain.

        Anna though did have one admirer who was turning into a stalker, reminiscent of Simcoe.  He was the son of a very wealthy Greenwich merchant and was known to pursue married women.  He had some success as he was good looking, tall, and very smooth.  Yet, Anna was not fooled and ignored him, which made him only want her more.  He would be at places in the town where he knew she would show up.  She ignored him.  He would offer to help her with her packages, and she would ignore him.  He offered her some gifts and an invitation to tea, and she ignored him.  Then he started to send her notes and even one day showed up at the house.  He openly propositioned her and was so forthcoming in how wonderful their affair could be.  Of course he insulted Edmund as he could not see how she could be so content with Edmund.  He was very graphic and even somewhat delusional about how she supposedly was falling for him.  Anna instead called for the servants to help her throw him out as he had no intentions of leaving.

        William was all too quick to tell Papa about the unwanted visitor and that was when Anna told him the full story.  She thought that he was harmless until he showed up on her doorstep and started to make her feel somewhat frightened by his talk. Edmund could see that Anna was upset, similar to how she was when they had to deal with Simcoe, and so he paid this man a visit and told him to leave his wife alone. The man apologized and said he would.

        Yet, the next week he showed up again and was much more aggressive.  She was alone in the yard doing laundry.  She was in an area of the yard that was shielded from the other homes and was a little isolated.  He came into that area of the yard and she told him to leave.  He instead grabbed her to kiss her.  She screamed and pushed him off but he tried again. She pushed him away again, and he kept insisting that all he wanted to do was kiss her.  At this point, Anna’s two dogs actually came to her aid.  They were outside in the yard and when they sensed and heard the commotion, they came charging over.  When the man saw the two dogs coming at him, he took off and jumped the fence, but not before Windsor was able to get a hold of his pants and take a bite out of them.

        Anna was not hurt at all but she was upset. She sent for Edmund and he came home in a matter of no time.  Surprisingly, he was calm and said that would take care of it for good!  Anna was worried what Edmund would do.  She knew that he had changed a bit since the war.  She did not notice a substantial change like she did in Abe’s personality when Abe returned from prison, but from Edmund’s years in America, he did seem, as his father had hoped, to have gained more assertiveness and have grown a little tougher.  Anna insisted that Edmund do not do anything foolish and Edmund quietly assured her that everything would be fine.  

        That weekend, Anna noticed that Edmund had not let her out of his sight. Then on Monday, Edmund left early for the “office.”  Later in the afternoon, when Anna went to the market, she heard about how the “poor man,” the man who had been stalking Anna, fell off his horse that morning and sustained a broken nose, a swollen cheek and eye, and bruised ribs.  Anna realized that it was Edmund who paid him a call and “took care of it.”  She was worried that Edmund might be arrested for assault and confronted him that night. Edmund was very calm and told her that there were no witnesses. The man would not subject himself to potential arrest for assault himself as he did lay his hands on Anna. The man had tangled with husbands before although this time he had stepped over the line and he knew it.  He would not press charges.  Besides, the magistrate, whom Edmund knew well, would not find fault with a husband who was protecting his wife. Edmund was definitely affected by what happened previously with Simcoe, and he was not going to let that happen again.

        Of course, Edmund’s father was delighted about how Edmund handled the situation and agreed that nothing would come of it.  Mr. Hewlett even noted that the man’s father had visited Mr. Hewlett to tell him to keep his son away from his son.  Mr. Hewlett just laughed at the father stating that they were not dealing with boys in the school yard, and Mr. Hewlett just asked the father to leave.  Anna did find out that the man did find another wife to harass shortly after and this time the husband challenged him to a duel. The man left England for a long holiday in France.

 

 

 

        By this time, Anna finished her wine and was starting to get sleepy.  She blew out the candles and returned to her bed.  Yet, as she laid in bed she still could not fall asleep. Her mind was going a mile a minute.  She got up again and decided to read a bit.  She lit the candles again and picked up a book that she had started but had not gotten around to finishing yet.  Yet, her mind could not concentrate on the text, and she continued to reflect upon her life in England.

        Anna and Edmund were enjoying being together. They attended local concerts and theater. They both enjoyed going to the races.  Anna could not believe how much she enjoyed watching the graceful animals race and how fun it was to bet money on the races. She was becoming very good like Edmund in evaluating the horses, and they even were looking into buying a race horse.

        Anna and Edmund did find some time to get away, just the two of them. Edmund had wanted to take Anna to Paris for a “proper honeymoon,” but Anna did not want to leave the children for any length of time. Rather, they decided to spend some weekends in London, just the two of them.  They would take a boat to London on a Saturday morning and tour the city’s sights and visit some shops. They would then meet up with the Pelhams, Caroline and John, who were their good friends from Savannah but whom they hardly saw as they lived in London and by now had 5 active children.  They would attend a concert or theater with the Pelhams and then have a light supper with them. After, Anna and Edmund would return to their cozy room in a very nice inn where they had alone time with each other.  They did not have to worry about being interrupted by one of the kids waking up with a stomach ache or runny nose or seeing a monster under the bed or having to let one of the dogs out.  They thoroughly enjoyed this private uninterrupted time together!

        Edmund continued to hunt although it was much harder to do so in England because many of the grounds were privately owned. He did look forward to an invitation by Fitzwilliam Collins, who served with Edmund in Savannah, to hunt on his family estate, and he would usually be invited a few times a year.  At first, Anna had to pinch herself as she was spending the weekend at a titled Earl’s estate.  Edmund would go shooting with the men and Anna would spend time with the other ladies.  Fortunately, Fitzwilliam had his fellow officers from America join the hunting party and so Anna socialized with the wives, a few that she was already friendly with and the remaining she could tolerate for the weekend. Fitzwilliam organized his weekends with his "commoner friends"  when his father was not around with his aristocratic friends, which made the weekend much less formal and snobby.

         If only the people from Setauket could see Anna wondering around a large estate house with many servants. The house was so large and it was easy to get lost. The formal dining room was amazing, the meals were very extravagant, and she was treated very respectfully by the staff. Their bedroom was as large as the downstairs of her old tavern in Setauket.  The paintings and furniture were exquisite.  She was so spoiled.  Anna knew that she joined the spy ring to fight against such inequality and privilege but she did enjoy a small exposure to this lifestyle.  She knew that this lifestyle was over the top and was wasteful, but she also had to admit that spending a weekend at the estate was like being in a fairy tale.  

         Besides their social obligations and interests, they both were very busy with their livelihood.  Edmund’s father retired when Edmund returned from America.  Edmund and his brother took up the family business and divided responsibilities.  Also, Edmund did begin his brewery.  His father and brother were skeptical about this new venture, but they made sure to invest in it.  Edmund also got his former Army officers to invest as well.  John Pelham, Robert Wheeler, and even Fitzwilliam Collins sank some capital into the business.  Meanwhile, Robert Wheeler and his family’s business received the contract to transport the beer.  Edmund found a German brew master who was friends with his father and who was semi-retired to oversee the actual brewing of the beer.  He hired a number of men from his regiment who were looking to get out of the Army to work at the brewery.  In fact, Captain Wakefield joined the venture as a manager and was happy for the opportunity to escape Army life.

         And, Anna had an important role in the brewery as well, just like Edmund had promised her while they were still in Setauket.  She was responsible for the recipes because Edmund had noted while in Setauket that her tavern produced some of the best ale that he had tasted. And, the recipes belonged to Anna. They came up with familiar names for the brews. There was “Setauket Stout,” “Whitehall Wheat,” “Abe’s ale,” and “Brewster bitters.”  She was still working on “Ben’s brown ale,” and was hoping to have that on the market soon.  Anna was enjoying the challenges of this business venture and was so happy that her husband had so much confidence in her ability.  Edmund’s father and brother could not believe at first how much authority Edmund delegated to Anna, but they walked away very impressed regarding the success. Meanwhile, the brew master did not seem to mind working with Anna.  The brew master was an older gentleman who viewed Anna like one of his granddaughters.  Anna did not have too much of a problem commanding respect from the men who worked at the brewery, partly because Edmund was quick to fire anyone who gave her any problems.

        In its first year, the brewery turned a nice profit.  In the second year, it was beginning to make a lot of money for the Hewlett family. Edmund and the brewery were now buying up or establishing pubs to sell the beer, making this venture a huge success. Between the already established family business and the brewery, Edmund and Anna were becoming very wealthy. They, however, did not let their wealth spoil them and they were both careful how they spent their money.  Yet, for the first time, Anna did not have money concerns and she was happy to be financially secure.  Meanwhile, Edmund was hoping that eventually he would get to the point where he could delegate all authority to professional managers so that he could focus all of his efforts on his interest in astronomy.

 

 

 

         Anna looked at the clock and realized that Edmund would be home shortly.  She was still wide awake. She knew that when Edmund came home from the Observatory, he would either be bone-tired and fall right asleep or he would be in the mood for some intense lovemaking.  It made sense that he would be tired after staying up half the night, but Anna did not know why stargazing put him in such an amorous mood, but then again she was not going to question it either.

        Anna was still happily amazed how much Edmund still adored her.  After two children, she definitely did not have her girlish figure, but this did not seem to matter to Edmund. Edmund still desired her and only had eyes for her.  He was as interested in her as he was during their first year of marriage although with work and children, he could not “show his interest” as often as he did during their first year of marriage.  But it was “just as good!”  Just like in the early days of their marriage, Edmund was still very intent on satisfying Anna in the bedroom.  Further, Anna could do no wrong in his eyes, and his world still revolved around her.

        Meanwhile, Anna was so in love with Edmund! She could have never imagined being this happy. Of course, he had his quirks and at times he tried her patience, but she could not imagine life without her Edmund.  The only thing that she really missed was her friends from Setauket and at times living in New York.  Other than that she was happy and content. She could dare to say that she had the perfect life!

        But Anna was still anxious. She knew, based upon her previous life experiences, that whenever she thought that she had found happiness, it was yanked away from her. Her parents and brother died young. Abe married someone else. Her husband left her to serve in the Army.  She lost her tavern.  Now she had to deal with another issue that was making her anxious and could again take away her happiness.  It concerned her former life as a rebel spy and the upcoming visit of her old friend, Ben Tallmadge.


	11. Ben's Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anna's sleepless night is not over as she is still stressing about whether she should tell Edmund about her role in the spy ring. The American Revolutionary War is over and she does not want him to hear about it through other sources. Yet, if she does tell him she risks ruining the happiness that she has had with him. Maybe Ben's visit can help.

         Anna was lying in bed starting to stress again about an issue that she had originally determined not to do anything about.  When she married Edmund, she could not tell Edmund about her activity in the spy ring.  Her approach was to say nothing and hope that it would eventually not come to light.  After all, they moved to Savannah far away from the spy activities and then to England where she was able to forget about her activities.  Now that the war was over, Anna started to worry if stories about the war now would come to light, especially her spy story/a spy ring in Setauket.  After all, the war was over and people now were free to talk.

         Anna was feeling this anxiety for the past month or so after the Treaty of Paris was signed.  She started to consider whether it was better for Edmund to hear about her past from her rather than a story from America about a spy ring operating out of Setauket.  Of course, it would not be hard for him to piece together that she was involved and if it was public, people would know that it happened under his command.  She winced at the embarrassment and shame that it would bring to Edmund!

         As Anna was contemplating how to handle this situation, she was having nightmares about the results of telling Edmund of her involvement. The nightmares varied somewhat, but they always seemed to follow the same pattern.  In the nightmare, Edmund found out about Anna’s involvement in the spy ring.  When he did he would be standing in the middle of a room of their house and looking at her with a very irate and cold stare.  Anna would be trying to explain what happened but he would just tell her that he did not want to hear anything more.  As the nightmare continued, Edmund then ordered her out of the house at once.  Anna was pleading about the children, but before she knew it in the nightmare she was standing on the front step of the house knowing that she would never see her children again.  Then her nightmare would switch to where she was having her baby in some inn and Edmund was standing by to take the baby away.  Then, as he took the baby, he laid on the table a one way ticket back to New York on a ship.

         It was horrible!!!! Anna would wake up so terribly upset and yelling things like, “No, No, please don’t make me leave!” She would have a deep pit in her stomach and would be trembling.  Of course, she could not tell Edmund the real reason for her nightmare.  He would wake up though and put his arms around her to calm her down.  She would throw herself into his arms and tell him to never let her go!  Edmund would then give her gentle kisses and tell her that she and the children would always be with him.  He would never let her go!!!!

         Edmund was concerned about these nightmares especially in light of Anna thinking that he and the children were somehow abandoning her.  Anna had to make up a story and tie it into one of her nightmares that she sometimes had as a result of their wartime experiences.  Edmund was very understanding and bought her story.  After all, they both had bad experiences during the war and Edmund was also still waking up to horrible nightmares, and Anna would have to hold him and comfort him.

          Then again, maybe her nightmares were just that.  Maybe she could come clean and tell Edmund about her past with the spy ring.  After all, Edmund was a logical man. He might see that she was involved in the spy ring before she met him.  Once she fell for him and decided to be his wife, she had no contact with the spy ring.  She chose him over the spy ring and he should understand that.  And, he could not expect her to come clean even after falling for him because other lives were in her hands.  Edmund would understand and maybe even admire her for staying true to her loyalties that she had before she really knew him.

         Also, she spared him from having to make a difficult decision regarding what he would do if he did find out about the spy ring.  By disclosing the ring, she would have put Edmund in a very difficult position.  If he did nothing, he would have a feeling of regret for not doing his duty.  Yet, if he did his duty, he may have had to execute a few people, maybe even Anna and Abe!  She spared him from such a terrible dilemma. They survived the war and now were living a very happy life.  Her involvement in the spy ring did not impact their happiness to date.  

         Moreover, after everything that they had after five years of marriage could not be thrown away now.  How could that one transgression years ago come between the love that they have for each other now, the life that they built together, the obstacles that they overcame to be together, and their children that they brought into this world and were raising together?  These years had to count for something and should trump something that happened before they were actually together!

         Then again, their relationship may never be the same. Anna had a further fear that even if Edmund decided to stay with Anna as part of the vow for “better or worse,” it did not mean that he would look at Anna the same way.  They may still live in the same household, but he may not have the same love and affection as he did before finding out about her involvement in the spy ring.  He may never again trust her or see her as his special and loving wife.

         After almost five years of marriage, Anna knew her husband very well, but she still was unsure how he would react to finding out about her involvement in the spy ring. Anna was feeling this turmoil and it was becoming all the more real by the visit within the next week of Ben Tallmadge.  

         Ben was coming to England with a trade delegation representing the new United States.  He received Anna’s address or actually Edmund’s parents address when he met with Edmund while Edmund was being held as a prisoner. He really could not write to Anna in England while there was a war going on, but once the shooting stopped and peace negotiations began, Ben did send a letter to Anna. It was a very cordial but somewhat distant letter although Ben was always somewhat formal in his manners, especially in his writing. And, there was so much that he could not say!

          Anna replied to the first letter with her new address, and then she received another letter from Ben telling her that he would be coming to London.  She was so excited but at the same time nervous.  She did reply to his letter and invited him to stay with her during his visit or if he was going to stay with the trade delegation to spend some of his free time at her residence.  Ben did reply shortly before sailing to let her know when his ship was due to arrive in England and that he would like to see her that weekend before the meetings began.  In fact, he was due to arrive in London the following Thursday and was planning on staying with Anna and Edmund that weekend before his meetings were to begin in London.

         As Anna laid in bed, she finally decided to hold off in making a decision about whether to disclose her past to Edmund until having an opportunity to speak with Ben. She needed someone to talk to about this monumental decision.  She wished that she could speak to Rebecca about it as Rebecca had a brother who supported the American cause. But then again, the only way that she could prevent it from coming out if she decided not to tell Edmund was to make sure that no one else knew anything about it.

         With that she heard the door open downstairs and she realized that Edmund must be home from the Observatory.  She could hear his familiar footsteps as he came upstairs.  She got up and lit a few candles to give him some light. He opened the door and looked surprised that Anna was up.  He commented, “I am so sorry my darling if I woke you up! It looks though that you were already up.”  Anna did not want to let on that she was not able to sleep and said, “I just went to check on Simon and changed his diaper.  He woke up crying but he is now fast asleep.”

         She went over to him to help him take off his boots.  He began to rattle on in an excited voice about some of the sights that he was able to observe that evening at the Observatory as he went over to the bed to look for his night clothes.  Anna went over to sit on the bed with him as he continued on.  Edmund then realizing that it was late said, “I am so sorry to keep you up with this talk.  It was a very good evening though but I can tell you tomorrow.”  Anna smiled at him, took his hand, and said in a very soft voice, “You can continue because I was awake and I always like hearing about your night at the Observatory.”  With that, Edmund actually stopped talking and began to stare into her eyes.  She knew that this was not the night that he was going to go right to sleep!

         Edmund then leaned in and began to kiss her neck and caress her.  Anna then put her arms around Edmund and began to nibble on his ear.  Edmund then reached up with his hands and held her head so gently as he began to kiss her ever so intensely with his tongue exploring her mouth.  Anna reciprocated and they now were kissing each other so passionately.  Anna was finding a wonderful outlet for all of her stress that she was feeling. She pushed Edmund down onto the bed with her on top which continued to arouse her husband. Between Edmund’s desire for Anna after a night of stargazing and Anna finding her desire for Edmund as an outlet for her stressful night of worry, they did not get much sleep that night!

         The week before Ben was due to arrive, Anna did not have time to continue to worry about what she was going to do because she and her family all came down with bad colds. Simon started first, and then everyone fell ill. Fortunately, the colds did not evolve into anything else more seriously, and by the time the following Friday arrived, Anna and the family were over their illnesses, and Anna was ready to greet Ben.

 

         It was early afternoon, and there was a knock on the door of Anna’s house. The servant opened the door and it was Ben Tallmadge standing there with a bag in his hand. Anna knew it was him and could hear him asking for Anna.  She flew into the hallway and they just stood there looking at each other. Then Anna went running into his arms saying, “Ben it is so good to see you!” He just held her and she started to say over and over again, “I am so sorry.” Of course, the servant was wondering what this was all about. It seemed strange to hear. Ben only replied, “You have nothing to be sorry for.” They then let each other go and just looked at each other.

         Ben looked almost just the same although Anna noticed that he did not have the same baby face that she remembered.  He looked a little more rugged and had a less relaxed look than what she remembered as well.  Ben noticed that Anna looked very much the same although she was now pregnant. Ben was first to comment, “Anna you have not changed at all except you look very radiant now that you are expecting.”  She nodded and said “Yes, there is still a ways to go until the baby is born, but I have been definitely enjoying motherhood.”  Ben replied, “It suits you so well.” Anna then looked at Ben again and replied, “You have not changed much at all. You look just as handsome as ever but a bit more rugged which suits you as well!”  Ben now began to blush a bit and mentioned that maybe his upcoming nuptials had something to do with “keeping his looks.”

         Anna motioned to the servant to take Ben’s bag, which the servant did.  Anna then took Ben by the arm and led him into the living room replying, “I read in your letter that you were planning on marrying. Tell me more about her.”  They sat down on two chairs facing each other and Ben started to describe his intended. “Her name is Mary.  She is the daughter of a Quaker merchant from Philadelphia. She has blond hair, very blue eyes that I totally adore, and has a …. well… a very nice figure. “ Anna just laughed and said, “Ben Tallmadge, I cannot believe that you are admitting that you noticed!”

          Ben began laughing as well and continued on. “She is such a good and strong person.  She is intelligent and very practical, but also loves reading poetry and writing poetry.  She is just so accomplished, but not spoiled or arrogant. She does have a fiery temper and is very outspoken, just like you Anna.”  Anna just gave him a smirk and then asked, “How did you meet her?”  Ben replied, “When the war was winding down, I was stationed in Philadelphia.  We met at a ball, and it was love at first sight!  Maybe the loneliness during the war prompted me to fall in love with her, but all that I know is that I cannot see my life without her in it.  In fact, when I get back after this trip, we are planning to marry at the beginning of January!”

          At this point a servant came in to ask if she should serve the tea and cakes now.  Anna replied, “You know it is a somewhat warm afternoon and maybe we should have refreshments outside on the patio.  Rather than tea, bring a bottle of some good wine, unless of course, Ben you prefer tea.”  Ben laughed and said that wine would be fine.  As they walked outside, Ben was looking around the house and said, “Anna I am so impressed, this is such a beautiful house. You have done so well. Imagine Anna as mistress of such a house – Wow!” As they walked outside, Anna said, “I know that it is actually not that warm outside but the walls have ears and I wanted to have a chance to talk to you without being overheard if that is okay with you?” Ben stated that it was fine and they both sat on the patio.

          Ben then said, “Now that we are here in private, tell me are you happy Anna? As I look around and from the tone of your letters you seem happy, but I have to ask.” Anna smiled, and said, “I am very happy! I have everything that I ever wanted: a loving husband that I adore, children that I simply love with all of my life, financial security, satisfying activities, and good friends. Yet, I know that I have some explaining to do.”

          Ben replied, “Now you do not have any explaining to do. I do admit that when I found out that you were to marry Hewlett and Abe told me that I could not trust you, I was very upset.  I wondered how you could do such a thing.  But after I got over the shock and the disappointment, I realized that you had to live your life. You had done so much for the cause and how could I demand from you more of a personal sacrifice. I served with a number of men who had family members who chose the other side and I started to understand that it was not such a black and white issue of which side to choose.  And, I realized that you were not choosing a side, but choosing a life that I could not tell you just to ignore or try to take it away from you. I know what you had been through both with Abe, Selah, the tavern, etc….  I could not be the one to deny you any happiness as you did put your life on hold. I knew deep down the war was not going to last forever and you had to do what was best for you. I have always trusted your judgment, Anna, and so I put my faith in your judgement.  I also knew too that you would never betray us and so I really could not stay mad at you.”

          Anna just sat there as she was so happily amazed regarding Ben’s attitude toward her decision. She wondered if he would have felt the same if he had lost the war, but again, she was not going to second guess him.  She then said, “The one thing that I do miss are my friends from Setauket.  I still wish there was a way that I could see them and be with them!  How is everyone?

         Ben replied, “Well Abe is well settled with Mary in Setauket. They have two children and actually Mary is expecting a third.  Abe finished his law studies as he is taking over Richard’s position at Whitehall and as magistrate.  Richard suffered a stroke and is now partially paralyzed and is an invalid. That actually was to his benefit because after the War, the supporters of the Revolution returned to Setauket and were ready to run Richard out of town.  Now he is living with Abe and Mary until their protection.  As the British left, Abe was able to persuade the people that he was not the Loyalist as portrayed and I did step in to help convince them that he was not a Loyalist without disclosing his involvement in the spy ring.”

         Anna was now listening intently because she wanted to know how much was said about the spy ring.  But at this point the servant came out with the drinks and cake.  Ben took his sip of wine and commented how good it was.  Anna replied, “Edmund likes good wine and so you can be sure that you will have good wine here.” After the servant left, Ben continued giving his update on the people of Setauket.  “Of course, Caleb went back to the whaling business and he actually has to stay out to sea.  It seems that he asked two girls to marry him and he has two fathers after him now.   He still cannot decide which girl he actually wants to marry and so he is laying low until he can sort out this affair. You know Caleb!”

        Ben continued, “Your tavern is now being run by Selah’s nephew as the Dejongs, who were afraid of being strung up as Loyalists, sold the tavern for a cheap price and left for New York City.  I heard that they bought a tavern in New York City because they were not known in New York City and figured that they had less of a chance as being identified as Loyalists.  My father is doing well although he is getting up in years.  He looks older and has definitely slowed down.  Yet, he has been very instrumental in keeping the peace between the Loyalists and the supporters of the Revolution who have returned to Setauket.  According to the Treaty, the Loyalists are to retain their lands, and my father has tried to respect this.  It has not been easy though. Abe as magistrate has a tough task in front of him!”

        At this point, the nanny came outside with William and Simon. They both had just woken up from their naps and were looking for their mommy. Both came running over to Anna, and Simon wanted to be held by Anna.

         Anna introduced William to Ben and William held out his hand to shake Ben’s hand.  Ben was very impressed and shook his hand while William said “Hello Colonel Tallmadge.”  William then asked Ben, “Did you fight with my Papa in the War?” Ben hesitated a second or two and said, “Actually I fought on the other side but I became friends with your Papa.”  William then looked upset and actually went to take a swing at Ben, yelling,  “What you fought against my Papa! He beat you though!”  Anna quickly put Simon down and grabbed William scolding him.  “Now that is not the way that we speak to and treat guests in this house.  You apologize.” William shouted, “NO as he was against my Papa!.”  

         By this point, Ben was laughing and said, “You know he reminds me of someone that I knew as a child!  He definitely did what his mother would have done!”  Anna still had William by the arm and continued to lecture him.  She explained that Mr. Tallmadge was a friend of hers from her childhood days and was the man responsible for making sure that his Papa returned safely after the War.  Eventually, William did make a sincere apology.  Ben tussled his hair and told him, “I like your spirit young man! I think that we will be good friends.”  With that, William gave him a smile.

         Anna went to introduce Simon, but Simon had already made it to the table with the cakes and was jamming a piece of cake into his mouth.  Anna grabbed him and took part of the cake away and of course, Simon started crying as he wanted his cake.  Meanwhile, William took off to chase one of the dogs. Anna just shook her head while Ben started to laugh. He then commented, “Your children are wonderful. William looks and acts just like you! And this little guy definitely has your appetite!”

        At this point, Edmund came walking out to the backyard. He eagerly walked over to Ben and with a firm handshake said, “Hello Colonel Tallmadge.” Ben stiffly said, “Hello Colonel Hewlett.” They were both acting like they were on the military parade ground. Anna rolled her eyes and said, “Edmund say hello to Ben, Ben say hello to Edmund.” They both looked at her and laughed.  Edmund then went over to Anna to kiss her hello and then picked up Simon and kissed him hello. He then asked Anna, “What is Simon eating?” She just shook her head and said, “Your boy got a hold of the cakes sitting on the table. You know how quick he is in spotting food and eating it!”

        Then Edmund and Ben started exchanging some pleasantries such as how the trip was crossing the Atlantic, where Ben was staying etc…. At that point, William came running over to the adults all dirty and muddy as he was wrestling with the dog in the mud. Edmund finally noticed how brisk and damp it was outside and wondered why everyone was outside. Anna just said that they wanted to get some fresh air, but maybe it was time to move inside. And, she needed to clean up William.

        They went inside and the nanny said that she would clean William up and get the boys their dinner.  Edmund, Anna, and Ben went into the parlor and were having a nice conversation when all of a sudden it seemed like all hell broke loose upstairs. They could hear the nanny yelling at William to get back into the room and then yell at Simon to stop chasing the dog. At that point, Edmund excused himself and went upstairs. Sure enough a few minutes later, Anna and Ben could hear Edmund now yelling, “William you get some clothes on and get back into the room.” They could hear him chasing after the boy as William was thinking that he was playing a game and was yelling. Meanwhile, one of the dogs was joining in on the game and was barking very loud while William continued to shriek. Then they heard William laughing and yell in a playful way, “Let me go” as Edmund must have caught him but Edmund was certainly not playing. Then, they heard Edmund making his way down the steps telling Simon to get back upstairs as it seemed that Simon was trying to escape down the stairs. They could hear Simon laughing as well along with a dog barking.

         Anna just sighed and said, “There is never a dull moment in this house. Edmund is still trying to get use to the lively spirit of his sons as William is starting to rub off on Simon.”  Ben just laughed and said to Anna, “I feel bad for Hewlett as he is paying for the trouble that you gave your parents when you were young as I remember that they had a hard time keeping up with you.” Anna just nodded as she could not disagree.

         Finally, Edmund made it downstairs and apologized for the disruption. Ben said that he understood as the children were no different than how Anna was when she was a child. Edmund looked at Anna with a raised eyebrow and said, “I am tending to agree with you!” They sat and talked for almost an hour until dinner was served and then moved into the dining room.

        Anna was very happy that Edmund and Ben were getting along. Their politics may have been a little different, but they were both very educated men who had much in common. They talked about a number of topics and they seemed like they had known each other for years. Also, Anna started to realize that they were very much alike, almost two peas in a pod. They both were academic nerds, they believed in protocol and good manners, and they were accomplished although not exactly "men of the world." They were both very sincere good men who were driven by their moral values.  

         Edmund could not stop thanking Ben for his help in taking care of him and his men while he was a prisoner of war and for getting them back to England. Edmund also offered to help Ben in his visit as he could introduce Ben and his delegation to the merchants in Greenwich to get the pulse of the opinions of the merchants who were also working to put pressure on Parliament for more favorable trade legislation.  In fact, the merchants were meeting Saturday morning and Edmund offered to take Ben to the meeting, which Ben happily accepted.  Both men then apologized to Anna for talking business, and again, Anna rolled her eyes. They were very much alike!

        After dinner, they went into the sitting room for tea and dessert. Edmund asked Ben, “So what are your plans when you return to America and civilian life?” Ben replied, “Well I plan on getting married as we discussed, and I am actually hoping for an appointment to the new embassy here in London. I am so far slated to move here in the Spring and begin my new post although it has not been made official yet. I also will be bringing my new bride and we will be starting our life together in England!”  Anna perked up, “Congratulations Ben! You will not regret starting your new life with your wife here in England.”  As she said this she turned to Edmund and gave him a smile.  He reached his hand and placed it on Anna's arm very affectionately and said, “I certainly agree!” Anna continued, “I will get to meet your new wife. I am sure that we will become best friends! And, it will be so nice to have you here.” Edmund also agreed, “It will be so nice for Anna to have an old friend here in England!  I hope that you hear soon officially about the move!”

         Anna then excused herself to make sure that the boys were going to bed and not giving the nanny any trouble.  When she returned, she found that Ben was in the middle of telling Edmund a story about Anna and his childhood. Anna actually joined in the storytelling and they all three enjoyed the evening!

          They realized that it was getting late, and they all decided to retire for the evening.  Anna made sure that Ben was comfortable in the guest room and warned him, “Do not be surprised if one of my boys wander into your room.  Do not be shy to send them back to their own room.” Then, Anna made it to her room where Edmund was already in bed.  Anna put on her night clothes and blew out the candles. She cuddled up to Edmund who gladly took her into his arms. She laid his head on his chest and held him tightly. She was no longer stressed as she felt that so far this visit with Ben was going well and that she would resolve her issue without ruining what she had with Edmund.  Edmund and Anna talked for a bit as Edmund was very impressed with Ben and also had a number of follow up questions about some of the stories that they talked about.  Yes, Anna was very happy and content as they laid in bed cuddling and talking!  She never wanted this to change.

         Edmund took Ben to the merchant assembly on Saturday and it was such a success. Ben was very welcomed by the merchants. The merchants were eager to resume trade with the United States and both Ben and the merchants found that they had a similar agenda and similar goals. The merchants wanted to deal with Ben and his delegation directly and offered to ally with them when speaking to the British government, especially because the merchants were skeptical about whether the British politicians were really interested in helping them. They even called a special meeting for the following week to speak to the entire delegation with Ben leading the way.

        At the meeting, the merchants, including Edmund, also gave Ben some personal contacts regarding London merchants that he should talk to. He would find with their referrals, these London merchants would also welcome him and his delegation in informal talks.  As they left the meeting, Ben realized that his mission was going better than expected and he had to admit to himself that he was definitely helping his own career as a representative of the new United States. He had accomplished so much in one day while the rest of the delegation members were still unpacking their bags.

         Both Ben and Edmund came home in very good moods. Anna could not believe how well they bonded in such a short period of time. They were acting like best friends! That evening, the Hewletts had a few friends over for dinner.  After dinner, the men decided to play some cards while the ladies sat around and talked.  Eventually, the men gave up cards and just sat around drinking brandy and getting somewhat drunk. Anna went in as they were starting to get a little loud and it was getting late.  When she went in, the men were kidding with Ben what he really did during the war. That was when Anna heard some disturbing talk.

        Of course, Ben could never hold his liquor. Now fortified with some strong brandy, he started to wind up his new found friends about how he was involved in some intelligence work and not just leading a combat unit during the War.  He acted real coy but admitted that he did work with spies. Anna right away interrupted and said that it was getting late and the wives were ready to leave. Of course, the men put up a small protest but realized that if they did not leave now, they would never make it home as they were having trouble seeing straight and getting out of their chairs.

         After the party broke up, Anna tried to get Edmund and Ben up to bed although they both wanted to finish the bottle. She got both men upstairs although she had to do it one at a time.  Ben passed out on his bed and Anna was able to get his boots off at least.  When it was Edmund’s turn, Edmund started to hug and kiss Anna as he was in a drunk and playful mood.  Anna got him up the stairs and got him in their room where he just passed out on the bed. She managed to get his boots off and his waistcoat.

         Anna was not happy when Edmund got drunk, and usually Edmund was pretty good in watching how much he drank. That night though she was kind of glad that he did drink too much as she was hoping that he would not remember any of Ben’s comments. Then again what if Ben did move to England and they did become friends? A night of drinking, even just a little, could loosen tongues! Anna was feeling stressed again.

        Both men slept through the night and woke up very hung over. Anna got Edmund up as she was making him to go to Sunday Church. After all he was a Church warden and he should not miss just because he had a hangover. She left Ben in bed.  Eventually, Edmund did get out of bed although he looked horrible! Anna did find out fairly quickly from Edmund that he did not remember the last hour or so of the previous evening, and so she was relieved that he did not remember Ben telling him that he handled spies. And, more than likely, Edmund’s friends would not remember as well.

        It was a very slow Sunday as both Edmund and Ben used the day to recover from their night of drinking.  Late afternoon, Ben took a boat back to London. Unfortunately, Anna was not able to speak privately with Ben, but Ben assured her that he would return to see her prior to returning to the US. He actually was in London for three weeks and so he was sure that he would see her a few times before he had to leave.

        Ben did spend another weekend with the Hewletts but he did not have any real time to speak to Anna privately although he was enjoying his time with the Hewletts. Then the following Friday, Ben did return to the Hewletts to spend the weekend with them again before leaving for the United States.

        Ben was in a very good mood because his meetings over the past two weeks were going very well, and he was becoming the leader of the delegation. This would definitely help secure his appointment to the new embassy. The merchants were very happy to meet with the delegates, and the members of the delegation were very impressed by Ben’s contacts. This proved very necessary for the success of their mission because at first, the delegation was almost ignored by the British government, which did not really show an interest in dealing with them. Yet, when the government representatives realized that the delegation under Ben’s leadership had already spoken with and found allies with the British merchants and in fact were inviting British merchants to the meetings, it had to take the delegation seriously.  It soon realized that unless members of Parliament wanted to lose their seats, they had to listen to the delegation and grant them many of the concessions that the delegation and their new allies, the British merchants, wanted. Ben’s mission as the now leader was a real success!!!!

        Ben arrived early Friday afternoon explaining that they were done with their meetings early and he did not need to return to London until Sunday evening. Anna welcomed him and was happy that he arrived early before Edmund arrived home.  Anna then suggested to Ben, “Would you like to go for a short ride and tour Greenwich.”  Ben said, “Yes that would be nice,” knowing that this would give them a good cover story to have a quiet and private conversation.

        Anna took Ben to one of the hills that overlooked the river and the town and explained that they could sit on the overlook for a few minutes as it was known to be a good place to see the town.  

         Ben started, “Okay Anna, let’s talk. I know that you are still troubled by this whole spy business. I also apologize for the other week when in a drunken stupor I almost said too much.  I see what you have here.  I see the life that you have with Edmund. I see how happy you are.  In fact, I can truly say that I have never seen you so happy! I know that Selah was my friend and Abe is still a good friend, but this is where you belong! This is where you were meant to be.”

        Anna had such a serious look on her face. “Ben, I need to know if the story about the spy ring will ever get out or ever be published.  I have not told Edmund about my involvement as I do not want to jeopardize everything that I have.  As you so rightly say, I have never been this happy in my life!”

        Ben replied, “I cannot guarantee that the story will never get out. On the other hand, only a few people really know about the spy ring. I really doubt if General Washington will ever say anything as he is a man that can keep secrets. Only a few of his aides knew about it and I do not see them as a bunch of gossips. Of course, I will not say anything nor will Abe or Caleb. There is a very good chance that it will never get out, but then again, I cannot personally guarantee it!”

        Anna quietly said, “I have to make a big decision whether to tell Edmund. Ben, how would you feel if your bride to be told you that she was spying for the Loyalists until she met you?  Would that change your feelings about her? Would you still want to marry her?"

         Ben gave a big sigh and said, “That is a tough scenario.  I actually cannot even imagine Mary telling me that! Wow!  I am having a hard time visualizing that! All that I can say is that if you do tell Edmund you need to emphasize that it was him that you chose not which side to support. You in essence gave up your side to marry him.  I guess if I knew that Mary chose me over her politics and loyalty and defected to my side for me, I would actually be in love with her even more.  But, the spying activity makes it more complicated. It is one thing if my bride decided to change what side she supported to be with me, but it is another thing to know that she actively worked against me and my country.”

         Ben continued, “Then again, Mary and I have not yet experienced what you and Edmund have. I have not yet had the opportunity to build a life with her, to struggle with her, to share her bed, and to be there for her in good times and bad.  I have not had the opportunity yet to bring children into the world with her and to raise them with her. You and Edmund have such a special bond that I can see. I see how he adores you. You two have an incredible history and I wonder if your confession can really change how he feels about you and your life with him. Yet, I wish though that I could help you with a better prediction regarding how he would react.”

         Anna just sat there about ready to cry. Ben, went over and put his arm around Anna and said, “All that I know is that you will make the right decision when you feel ready to.  Don’t rush it and don’t ever feel that you need to on any one’s account in Setauket.  I know that I will do my best to suppress any of the information from getting out. Again, if you do decide to tell him, make sure that he knows that you chose him over your mission with your friends and for your country as that is the truth.”

        Ben looked out over the overlook and then continued, “It is funny but in a way, you are still working for the US.  You know, Edmund and you helped my delegation out so much.  Without your help, our delegation’s mission would have been a failure.  Only by getting to know the British merchants and by involving them in the process were we able to get the British government to notice us and force its hand.  Whether you realize it or not, Edmund and you have been good friends of the United States and have in a way been ambassadors for good relations between England and the new United States.  My father always believed in Providence at work and I do to!

        Anna and Ben then just sat quietly on the overlook for a few minutes until they finally decided to head back to Anna’s house. They enjoyed their weekend together with Edmund and the children before Ben had to sail back to the United States.


	12. True Confessions

        Ben returned to the United States.  Anna was so glad to see Ben!  It had been at least 5 years since she had seen him, and she was so happy to see that he had not really changed!  She was also relieved that he was so understanding about her decision to leave the spy ring in order to marry Edmund.  Anna was still remembering his sympathetic words about her decision.  He was always so eloquent in his speech and during his visit, he lived up to Anna’s memory of the way he could qualify things and make a person feel ever so more confident.  She was also remembering what he had said about telling Edmund about her involvement in the spy ring. Anna really felt bolstered by Ben’s visit, his observations, and his insights.

        Anna now had the courage to tell Edmund about her participation in the spy ring.  She finally decided that she could not risk him finding out on his own or from someone else.  She claimed to herself that she could not tell him before their marriage because lives were in her hands.  Now, the War was over and she had no real excuse.  If she was going to be true to her marriage, she could not keep secrets from Edmund.  

        And, the present was as good as ever. She wanted to do it before events got in the way.  Christmas was on its way.  Edmund’s father was not in good health and the family was ready for the worse.  And, Anna was only about four months away from having baby number 3.

        About a week went by and Anna still was feeling good about her decision to tell Edmund.  It was the beginning of the week and Edmund came home fairly early.  After the boys went to bed, Anna headed for the study where Edmund was working on some accounting books.  He was very absorbed in his work and at first Anna thought that maybe this was not the time.  She, however, took a glass of wine, worked up some courage, and walked into the study.  

         Sure enough Edmund was huddled over his books. Anna quietly walked up to his desk and asked him, “Edmund, do you have a little bit of time as I need to talk to you about something?”  Edmund turned around and smiled at Anna as he did not mind her interrupting him from his boring bookkeeping duties.  He, however, saw that she looked very serious, and he stopped smiling.  He got up saying “You look serious Anna. What is it?”  They both walked over to a set of winged back chairs that were in the study and sat down.

        Anna had a hard time looking at Edmund and she began to stutter her response, “I do not know how to even start but I need to tell you something about something….. I …. I was involved with before I….. married, no…. started seeing you.”  Anna felt like she was going to hyperventilate. Edmund could see that she was having difficulty and so he took her hand, which actually did not help Anna.

        Anna then got up as maybe she would have an easier time telling him standing.  Edmund said, “What is bothering you?  Anna then said, “You might remember that there were suggestions … no accusations that there was a spy ring operating in Setauket.” Edmund looked very confused and said “Yes.”  Anna then in a very quick pace to get it out said, “There was a spy ring operating in Setauket and I was part of it.”  Edmund looked up at her and just shook his head, “You were what?” Anna repeated it again only not as fast as she had already gotten it out.

        Edmund then repeated some of what she said with his own incredulous remarks, “There was actually a ring operating in Setauket?  You were part of a spy ring?  You were part of a spy ring right under my nose?”  Edmund got up and was starting to walk around the room repeating the above phrases and even rubbing his head to try to absorb what he had just heard.

        Anna then chimed in and said, “I was only part of it until I fell for you.”  Remembering what Ben had told her, she then said, “I gave it up for you because I wanted to be with you!” Edmund did not seem to hear any of this. He stopped and then looked at her saying, “Anna please tell me that this is just some gag or joke.  You really do not mean what I just heard.”  Anna said, “It is true but you need to hear the story.” Edmund just started to wave his arm saying, “I cannot hear anymore. I cannot fathom what I just heard. You were against me. You used me to help the enemy. You were not what I thought you were.”

        Anna then again tried again to explain. “I was supporting the rebels and yes, at first I used you and your friendship.  But as we became friends, I fell in love with you and stopped.”  Again remembering Ben’s words, Anna said, “I stopped working with my friends and for my country to be with you.”  Edmund did not appear to hear her and then asked, “Who was involved in this spy ring? Your lover, Abe?  Of course, yes. That explains a lot.  Ben, who I hosted in this house?”  Anna said “Yes, but it is not like you make it!” Edmund then went on, “You only married me to get information?  You were spying even while we were in Savannah. What a fool I have been.”

        Anna now was getting somewhat loud and said, “No, I did not marry you as part of my spying “duties.”  Again, I do admit that I first become friends with you because of it but …” Edmund then interrupted her and said “so our marriage is a fraud.”  Anna then interrupted and now was very loud. “No, our marriage is not a fraud.  I swear to you on everything that is holy that I stopped spying after we began officially courting.  Why do you think that I was somewhat hesitant about marrying you? My head saw you as the enemy but my heart saw you as someone that I could spend my life with.”  Edmund just kept pacing shaking his head and said,  “How can I believe now what you are saying?”

        Then Anna spoke up and said, “ In fact, I saved your life when Abe had a hair brain scheme to kill you.” Edmund then said, “And you were going to kill me! What stopped you?” Anna said, “You are not hearing me.  I stopped Abe and he then accused me of being in love with you.  That was when I knew that I was but I could not admit it as you were the enemy.  But, I could not stand by to see anything happen to you.  That is why Eastin was killed although I was against that as well.”  

        Edmund gave her a smirk and said, “So you just killed my men. Sure that is okay."  By now, he was walking very fast and was almost shaking. And, he was almost in tears. He then stopped pacing and said trying to stay very logical, “If you did all of this, how can I trust you now?  You said that you stopped spying but yet did not tell me until now. You said that you married me for love but I was the enemy?  How can I reconcile all of this?” Anna said, “I know that this is hurtful, but you have to understand that I could not tell you while the War was going on as lives were in my hands.  I could have ignored my feelings for you and continued but I could not.  I loved you Edmund then and I love you ever so much now.  Besides, if I did tell you what would you have done?”

        Edmund now went over to a chair and sat down looking very shook up and upset. Anna went over to try to take his hand but he pulled away.  She then said that they needed to talk about this.  But, in a desperate voice, Edmund just said that he needed time to think.  He got up very quickly, went to the hallway, grabbed his coat, and walked out the door.  Anna went after him and yelled, “Edmund come back we need to talk.” But the door slammed and he was gone.

        Anna started crying and ran upstairs. She went into the boys’ room and just sat there watching them sleep.  She sat up for a while waiting for Edmund to come home, but realized that he was not coming home anytime soon.  She went into her room, changed for bed, and then tried to go to sleep.  She grabbed Edmund’s night gown as it still had his scent and she just laid there hugging the night clothes for dear life and crying herself to sleep.

        Morning came and she heard Edmund come in.  Yet, he had nothing to say.  He washed up and changed his clothes. He did not even bother to shave as he could not get out of the house fast enough.  He went over the boys’ room to kiss them good morning and then left without a word.  Anna did not confront him that morning.  She assumed that even though there was so much that needed to be said, Edmund needed more time.

       Edmund came home very late in the evening. The boys were already in bed.  Anna said that she had dinner waiting for him, but he said that he ate at his club.  He did not even look at Anna but went upstairs. She could hear him going through some drawers and was afraid that he might be packing.  She went upstairs, and told him, “Edmund we need to talk about this. We need to sort this out.”  Edmund just smirked at her, “I have nothing to say. I did nothing wrong.”  He took his clothes and went into the guest room slamming the door.

        Anna knew that this could happen.  She tried to find something positive about the whole experience and thought, “At least he did not kick me out. What though am I going to do?”  She thought about confronting him head on but decided again that he needed more time.  She knew how difficult it was for her to get the courage to tell him, how much more difficult it must be for Edmund who was caught by surprise by all of this and was the person who was injured by it.  

       The next morning, Edmund got up and left for the office without talking to Anna.  At around noon, Anna was trying to get the boys to eat lunch. They both were quiet in the morning and by lunch time it was apparent that they both were not feeling well.  They were complaining about their throats hurting and feeling tired. Anna put them both to bed and by late afternoon, they started to run very high temperatures.

       Anna sent for the doctor. The doctor diagnosed both boys as having the morbid sore throat that was going around town.  For young children it was very dangerous. The doctor gave the boys medicine to help with the swelling of their throats and to help them breathe better.  He also told Anna that they needed to lower their temperatures and continue to give the boys some water as they were risking dehydration. The servants and Anna started to draw cool water from the spring in their backyard while the male servant went to the ice house to get some ice.  They gave both boys a cool bath.  Anna then put them back to bed and used cold compresses to continue to try to cool them down.  She also dispatched a servant to try to find Edmund as she needed him home.

        Edmund did come home, but at first did not know what was going on as the servant failed to find him.  One of the other servants told him that the doctor had been there and that his sons were seriously ill.  He rushed upstairs and entered into the room to see one of the servants holding William as Anna was trying to give him some medicine and water.  William was in bad shape but Simon was even worse.  He was not responding at all and was not even conscious.  Anna saw Edmund and began crying as she told him what the doctor had said and that the doctor would return later.

        Edmund went over to his sons and offered to help Anna with the cold compresses.  As Anna was applying the cold compress to Simon’s head, she kept whispering things to Simon to let him know that mummy was there to make him feel better and that she loved him so much!  As Edmund was applying the cold compress to William’s head, he watched Anna’s affection and love for their son.  He could not help but think how wonderful and beautiful she looked!  He then looked at his two sons and thought how grateful he was to have such good little boys and how much he loved them.  But now he also was watching them fight for their lives and he felt so helpless.

        Both Anna and Edmund did not leave the room. Edmund then got out a prayer book and started to pray. He reached for Anna’s hand and she took it as they said a few prayers together.  By this point, Anna was so emotional and so choked up.  She started to cry and said, “Our babies cannot die, they cannot die!”  Edmund put his arms around her and said with a raspy and choked up voice, “Everything will be alright, everything will be alright.”

        At this point, Mrs. Hewlett entered the room as she was informed by one of the servants about the condition of her grandsons.  She said that Mr. Hewlett wanted to come as well but was not feeling well.  She, however, was there to help and wanted to be put to work.  Therefore, Edmund told Anna that she should try to get some sleep and that he and his mother would sit with the children.  Edmund reminded Anna that she was now 5 months pregnant and she had to look after herself and their baby.  Edmund’s voice actually broke as he said “their baby.”  Anna said, “No, I am staying with my children and I am not leaving them.”

        Edmund then suggested that they try another cool bath along with the medicine and water. Edmund held the boys while Anna gave the boys their water and medicine. Meanwhile, Mrs. Hewlett started to prepare the baths as the male servant went for some more ice.  They gave the boys their baths and William actually started to respond. Within about a half hour, his temperature broke, and he became more alert.  Within one hour, he was actually saying that he was hungry.  Mrs. Hewlett suggested that she could look after William, get him some broth, more to drink, and to continue with the cold compresses to keep the fever away.  

        Edmund carried William into the guest room to let him recover there while Mrs. Hewlett looked after him.  Edmund put him into bed, and then got him a glass of water to drink slowly. Mrs. Hewlett brought in some warm broth and said that she would give him some of the broth and more water.  Mrs. Hewlett noticed that Edmund was using the guest room. She told Edmund to go back to Anna and Simon.  But she further said in a very forceful manner, “I do not want to butt in, but I see that you have been sleeping in the guest room. Whatever happened between you and Anna, you need to eventually fix it.  She and your children are your life.  You need her and the children.  Life is too short and precious and you know that as your son’s life is still in jeopardy.”  Edmund was taken back by his mother’s unsympathetic and forceful manner and he could not look at her.  They both knew that this was not the time to have a long and serious conversation, but he also took what she said to heart.

       Then, Edmund heard a knock at the door. It was the doctor who said that he would come back, and so Edmund went downstairs to let the doctor in.  It was almost midnight and the doctor was very happy that William survived the crisis. Now, they needed Simon to overcome the crisis. The doctor said Simon was in the middle of the crisis.  The cool baths, the water, and the cold compresses were at least holding the fever at bay. The medicine was helping with his breathing. The doctor then said that there was nothing more that he could do. He left Anna and Edmund just sitting there watching Simon. His temperature was still not breaking.  Anna just sat on Simon’s bed again coaxing him to get better.  While she was putting cold compresses on his head, she kept telling him that he needed to get better so that he could go out and play with Bentley.  She kept telling him how much she loved him and wanted to take him shopping for a toy.  And she told him that when he felt better, she would bake him his favorite chocolate cake.

        Edmund went over to Anna and told her that she should really think about getting some sleep as he would sit with Simon and wake her if there was any change.  She had to think about their baby.  Anna said no as she and the baby were fine.  She continued to sit on the bed with the cold compresses for Simon.  Edmund then went to get another compress and they both began rubbing their son down. They did not look at each other but Edmund did tell Anna that Simon was a strong boy and everything would be alright. After giving Simon another dose of medicine and some water, Edmund went to sit on the chair near the bed and actually began to doze off although he was trying to fight off sleep.  He had not really slept over the past night or two but he was tryng to stay awake for his son.

        As Edmund started to fall asleep, he was woken up by Simon’s crying and Anna telling him, “Simon, mummy is here my angel. You are okay!” Simon had woken up and his fever had broken.  Edmund looked over and saw Anna holding him as she was now crying tears of joy.  Edmund rushed over and now both he and Anna were holding Simon. Simon even said, “I am hungry! I want some chocolate cake!” Anna and Edmund started laughing and Edmund said that he would get Simon some broth.  Anna still had tears in her eyes!  Her baby had survived the crisis!

        Edmund came upstairs with the broth but Simon only took a little.  Edmund then told Anna that she should get some sleep and he would stay with Simon. Anna fought him on this but she was tired and her back was hurting.  She did lie down for a few hours but was up when the light came in her room.  She went over to Simon’s room and Edmund was sleeping in the chair and Simon was sleeping comfortably in his bed.  Anna woke Edmund up and he left to get some sleep. Anna checked in on William as well and he was sleeping comfortably.  Mrs. Hewlett was still sleeping in the chair near William’s bed. Anna eventually convinced Mrs. Hewlett to go home as everything seemed under control.

        Just before noon, Edmund woke up and he washed up, shaved, and changed clothes as he had an afternoon meeting. Anna was changing the bed sheets and putting William back into his room. She saw Edmund who was about to leave.  He stood in the door way and she just looked at him. It seemed that their relationship was turning icy again.  Anna though did ask if Edmund would be home for dinner and he did say yes.

        Both boys were recovering nicely and Anna was so relieved!  By dinnertime, Edmund came home and he had some presents for the boys. They were sitting up in bed and were so glad to see their Papa especially with toys as presents!  After he spent some time with them, he went downstairs for dinner. Anna had just put the dinner on the table. Again, it was a very quiet dinner until Edmund did initiate a conversation. “I know that we are both tired after last night.  I do want to talk though and maybe we can talk tomorrow night after both getting a good night's rest.”  Anna replied, “I would like that but only if you are ready.” Edmund stated, “I think that I will be tomorrow.” They finished their dinner in quiet and Edmund went to his study to finish some accounts and then went to the guestroom early in the evening to go to sleep.

        The next night Edmund came home early and he brought some books home to read to the boys. By now, Anna was having a hard time keeping them in bed. Edmund read them part of one of the books and told them that he would finish the story tomorrow if they went to sleep. Then, he went down to dinner with Anna. Anna knew that this night was going to be tough but she was happy that Edmund was ready to talk. They ate very little and said very little at dinner. Finally they went into the study where they could have some privacy.

        Anna sat down in a chair and waited for Edmund to begin.  He poured himself a glass of wine and said, “I am still having a difficult time with this whole thing. I am still wondering what I can believe and what I cannot believe.”  Edmund did not sit down but gulped his wine down and poured another glass. He could not sit down but just stood against the wall.  Edmund continued. “I guess I assumed your Loyalist support and that was where I made my first mistake. I never envisioned you as the enemy or that you could be against me.  And I thought of the damage that the spy ring caused to my men and to my command.  And you, my wife, that I vowed to love and support all of my life, was part of it.”

        Anna let him continue to talk as she could tell that he was trying to piece everything together. “You said that it was before you had feelings for me.  If that is true, I would actually feel a little better about the situation.”  Anna nodded and said, “It is true. To be perfectly frank, I hated what happened to my town and to my tavern.  My husband was taken away and my tavern was taken away.  My friends were supporters of the Revolution. That was how I got involved.  I only knew you as the cold and distant garrison commander of the town and the enemy who took everything from me.  In fact, you might remember when you released the slaves and sent Abigail to New York to Major Andre. I tried to convince you that your decision to take Abigail away from me was bad but you just ignored me.”  

        Edmund nodded and began to pace the floor.  He eventually said, “Yes, I was reminded that there was a war going on and that there were sides.  And I was also reminded that a person does not fall for someone just because they are on your side.”  Anna looked at Edmund as he referred to that “he was reminded.”  Edmund noticed Anna’s confused look and told Anna,  “Yes, I did need someone to talk about this. I spoke with Judge Wilson.”  Judge Wilson was a retired magistrate in Greenwich.  He was an old military man and veteran of the Seven Years War in America known as the French and Indian War.  He had helped Edmund adjust to civilian life when he returned from America as Judge Wilson knew what it was like to serve in the military in America.  Edmund continued, “I hope that you are not upset that I spoke with him, but I needed another perspective. And, to be honest, he was very impressed with my story and impressed that you were a spy.  He said that you could not write a story like that!?”

        Anna gave Edmund a smile as she could see that Edmund was trying to be positive. Edmund then continued, “The magistrate did give me some things to think about.  He pointed out that we were on different sides.  These sides, however, were already established before we met, and you were not wrong nor was I for the sides we chose.  You supported your side to the best of your ability and I did mine.  Both sides were charged to kill the enemy.  Judge Wilson told me to focus on what happened after we finally became… friends.”  

        Anna was very impressed by this advice given by Judge WIlson.  Meanwhile, Edmund was on his third glass of wine and sat down in a chair.  He then asked, “So even if I can get pass that you were the enemy before we met, how can I trust that you stopped working against me when you claimed that you started to have feelings for me?”  Anna now poured herself a class of wine and repeated some of her story again.  “Edmund, I am telling you exactly what happened and I am being totally honest how this whole thing transpired.  At the risk of repeating myself, I will tell you again to reassure you.  I only knew you as the garrison commander when Selah was arrested.  I remember how Richard took away the tavern and how you signed the proclamation to free the slaves. I remember how I came to you about Abigail.  I will admit that I did not like you then as you were the cold enemy who took everything from me. I lost everything and I joined my friends to stop the enemy who I saw was invading my homeland.  I will even admit that before the Battle of Setauket, I recommend to Abe that we shoot you.”

        Edmund looked up surprised with very wide eyes. Anna said, “I am only telling you this to remind you what the environment was like and what you at first represented to me and many of the people of Setauket.  Yes, there was a war going on.  I know that you participated in the Battle of Brooklyn Heights and shot and killed Americans. But that was your duty for your side. I know that you sentenced people from Setauket to prison ships but that was your duty as well.”  Edmund started to get somewhat defensive as Anna brought this up, but Anna stopped him as she continued. “It was after the Battle of Setauket where things changed.  You offered me your friendship and you were so sincere in looking after me. You made sure that I was part of the Setauket social life, and you spent time with me. You were so good to me and I started to enjoy spending time with you. Yes, I was seeing you in a different light.  When you were abducted by the Americans, I really missed you and wanted you back.  I remember sitting in your room looking at your items and thinking how empty the room was without you.  I really began to feel conflicted about you and my own spy mission.  You went from being the enemy to being someone that I cared for and wanted to be with.”

        Edmund then tried to interject, but Anna would not let him and continued. “After Selah’s death, I remember that night when I was sitting in the backyard of Whitehall, and we kissed for the first time.  I still remember wearing your redcoat almost like a symbol that I was no longer part of the spy ring.  I remember that sweet kiss in which I came to realize that my life could be changing forever. My head was telling me that I could not be falling in love with the enemy while my heart wanted to.  By admitting to myself my true feelings and by agreeing to court you and eventually marry you, I in essence joined your side and gave up my side.  Why else though do you think that it took me some time to tell you that I loved you.  I did not want to admit it to myself, but I finally had to be honest with my feelings. I left the spy ring to be your wife and we left for Savannah far away from the spy ring and having no dealings with it. As you may recall, I was even shot at for being the wife of a British officer.”

        Edmund was listening so intently and although Anna could tell that Edmund was still very hurt, she could also sense that he wanted to believe in her again. They finally decided to call it a night and Edmund returned to the guest room to get some sleep but with the promise that they would continue talking.  

        The next day, Edmund went to work but again come home early.  Edmund and Anna continued their talk that night, and this time Edmund seemed less anxious. He seemed to be in a better space as a result of their conversation from the previous night.  

        Anna tried to explain her motives for not telling Edmund about the ring. Further she asked Edmund, “What would you have done if I did tell you about my involvement in the spy ring during out engagement or if I waited until we were leaving for Savannah?”  Edmund replied, “ I actually thought about it, and to be honest, I do not know what I would have done.” Finally, Edmund even admitted, “I guess by not telling me, you shielded me from some very unpleasant decisions.  And, there might have been a very good chance that I would not have the family that I have today. I have to admit that these past five years have been so wonderful! Maybe this was the way it was suppose to work it out.  I ended up with you and the boys without having to betray my duty.”

        Anna felt compelled to apologize for causing Edmund so much pain.  She said, “I never intended to hurt you and I wish that I could change what I did to prevent this. But I cannot. What I do want and what I dare to ask is that you forgive me and don’t throw away the life that we have had and the life that we can have.  I just want you to know that I love you and the boys more than anything else in the world.  And, I want our baby to come into the world with two parents who love each other and will work together to raise the baby.  This may not help you but I just needed to say it.”

        Edmund cracked a smile and amazed Anna by stating, “I am partly at fault as my own ego has gotten in the way.  I have said that I was not meant for a military career and that I did not want to be defined by my military career.  Yet, there is a part of me that is upset at you just because I feel like you got the better of me as a commander.  In a way, you showed what a failure I was as a military officer.  And you proved that Simcoe was actually right and I was wrong about the spy ring.  If I did not have such a big ego, I might not have been so upset by your confession.”

        Anna got up and said, “Of course, you cared about your command and your men.  I would not have fallen for you if you did not. You were a fine officer and your only fault was that you were not as despicable as Simcoe to try to find out the truth.  You were and are such a good person. We took advantage of that. That was your only fault.”

        They talked further and eventually Edmund even told Anna how he appreciated how much Anna gave up to be with him. “I guess in some ways, I should feel fortunate what you gave up to be with me. You gave up your friends and loyalty to your country to be with me.  You even risked your life to be with me for my cause that you did not support, as hard as it is to say.”  Anna realized that Edmund was finally echoing the words that she used on the advice of Ben, and even more importantly, Edmund was now accepting Anna’s past.

        It was getting late and they finally decided to call it a night.  This time though, Edmund asked her if he could come back to their room and sleep in their bed. Anna was so happy for this request! They walked upstairs together and when they entered the room, Anna let Edmund take the lead.  It was somewhat awkward almost like it was their wedding night again although this time Anna was 5 months pregnant.  Edmund tentatively reached out to Anna to pull her close to him as if he was still wondering if he could trust his feelings.  

        Edmund pulled Anna to him very gently and moved his lips to hers very gently but also tentatively as if he wondered if he should give in and commit himself again to Anna. Anna pressed her lips onto Edmund's lips as if to say you can trust me and that I am yours. They kissed for sometime as if Edmund was rediscovering his love for Anna and their life together.  Edmund then laid Anna gently on the bed.  He looked into her eyes and said, “I would be a fool to let you go. I love you and the boys more than my own life.  I was reminded this week how precious life is and how important you and the boys are to me. We were meant to be together and I am not going to let your involvement in the spy ring impact our lives now. We have dealt with the past, we are now committed to the present, and we have such a great future ahead of us.!”

        With that they now began to kiss and caress each other so passionately to affirm that their relationship was no longer broken. They spent most of the night showing how much they meant to each other.

         That early morning, Anna woke up and just watched Edmund continue to sleep. She put her head on his chest to hear his heartbeat and to feel his breathing. She began to caress his shoulder where she could feel his terrible scar from his bullet wound at the Siege of Savannah. She then could feel his scar on his side from a bullet wound that he sustained at the Battle of Brooklyn Heights.  She also rubbed her foot against Edmund’s foot that was missing some of his toes. Anna thought about how the War had scarred Edmund physically and emotionally. Being in the spy ring added to that distress, but she also knew that her love for him helped him survive the ordeals of the War. Anna loved Edmund and she was determined to always be there for him.

          As the sunlight streamed through the window, Edmund began to wake up and Anna could feel his arms pull her closer as he whispered, “Good morning, Mrs. Hewlett. Waking up like this is the way it should be!”  They then kissed each other. Realizing that it was Saturday morning, Edmund told Anna to stay in bed while he went to get the boys. Sure enough minutes later, the boys came running into the room and jumped into bed. Now, the whole family was in bed enjoying their lazy Saturday morning. Anna and Edmund did not want it any other way!


	13. Epilogue:  Through the Years

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is coming to an end. It ends with an Epilogue in which Anna and Edmund are looking to celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary. I am a fan of stories like "Pride and Prejudice" rather than "Romeo and Juliet," and so this will have a happy ending!

        It was late morning and the house was very quiet.  Anna was home by herself.  She was not feeling very well and was looking forward to having a slow day. She normally did not have much free time and so she decided to enjoy this nice quiet day.  She sat down in the living room with her cup of tea and a good book.  She, however, did not open the book yet as she began to look out the window.  It was a rainy cool day and she began to think about the past.  She was amazed how fast time had flown!  She was going to celebrate her 27th wedding anniversary next week. She could not believe that she has been married to Edmund for almost 27 years!

        Anna was in her early fifties.  She had put on some weight after giving birth to 5 children, and her hair was graying; but she still was very good looking and attractive.  She did not look her years.  She was still very active, outgoing, and full of life.  As Anna drank her tea, she began to think about her marriage to Edmund.  He was now in his late fifties and was starting to slow down a bit but he was the same Edmund.  He wore his hair short according to the style of the day although it was getting very thin on top.  He still had a youthful look with his high cheekbones, and he still had his slight build avoiding the middle age paunch that most men acquired.

        Edmund was in very good health except for some bad arthritis that he had developed in his shoulder and foot as a result of his war wounds.  He was sometimes having trouble walking without a limp, and he started to use a walking stick. Anna also started to notice that he was drinking more to alleviate the pain from the arthritis, and like other issues in their marriage, she knew that she would have to talk to him about it.  She knew how much Edmund did not like going to the doctors and he did like his wine and brandy; this was going to prove to be an interesting talk.

        Anna and Edmund had an incredibly strong and happy marriage.  Edmund was her husband, lover, confidant, and best friend.  Yes, they had their differences at times, but they found ways to work them out.  Anna liked to “speak loudly” and Edmund liked to “debate.” Yet, in the end, one of them could find a way to give in to the other or they would work out a compromise.  They did face a number of challenges including when Anna early in their marriage confessed to Edmund her involvement in the Culper Ring. And, one of their greatest challenges that they faced together was the death of their toddler daughter, Emma.  Emma died of a high fever and it took both Edmund and Anna time to get over.  Yet, by dealing with this tragic event together, they seemed to grow even closer together.

        Anna was still happily amazed that Edmund still only had eyes for her.  He still desired her and she still desired him.  Even after 27 years of marriage, they had a very satisfying physical relationship!  They remained faithful to each other unlike many couples of the day.  In the course of their busy lives working, raising children and tending to their social obligations, Edmund and Anna still managed to find time for each other.

         They continued their weekend getaways to London although not as often as they did when they were first married.  They continued to do many things together whether it was going to the horse races, attending social events and concerts, hosting parties, playing the pianoforte together, finding new and interesting books to read, and of course, star gazing.  Anna was probably one of the most knowledgeable women in England regarding the subject of astronomy.  Some of the men still did not like to see her at the Royal Observatory, but she still managed to sometimes accompany Edmund.

         Edmund truly treated Anna like an equal and showed her the greatest respect.  She still could not do anything wrong in his eyes.  Edmund relied on her so much, and unlike most men, Edmund asked for and respected Anna’s perspective and opinions.  He was lost without her and he loved her company.  Edmund was so proud of her beauty, personality, and accomplishments, and there was nothing that he liked better than having her on his arm!  Edmund would always comment to his friends that he could not believe that a lady so talented, lively, and beautiful like Anna would be content with someone like him who was so plain looking and “boring.”

        Edmund also was ever so protective of her.  Heaven help the man whoever bothered her, insulted her or her American background or was not at all respectful around or toward her.  Anna had to admit to herself that she still liked Edmund’s protective instincts.  He was not by nature a jealous man, just protective and she liked it!

         Edmund hated to be apart from Anna.  He had to sometimes travel for business, but he would not spend an extra minute away from her and the children.  Edmund did have his male friends with whom he socialized, including drinking, playing cards, hunting and shooting, and attending business dinners; yet, he was the happiest being with Anna and the children.

         Likewise, Anna hated when Edmund was away from home.  Anna loved it most sharing her time with Edmund and the children.  She could not imagine life without Edmund.  She felt so fortunate that she was able to share her life with him.  She was so dependent upon him and nothing pleased her more than to make him happy.  When Edmund proposed to Anna, he said that he wanted to devote his life to making her happy, but Anna found that she felt so fulfilled in making him happy.  There was nothing like seeing him smile and laugh, even after all of these years.  Anna realized that they completed each other and he was truly her “better half.”

        Anna was so proud of their children! She had to admit that they turned out to be fine young men and women although they certainly were not perfect. She knew that Edmund and she tried to do their best to raise them, and overall, they worked fairly well together in raising their children even though at times they had different ideas regarding child rearing.

         The oldest son was William, who was now age 26.  William was a good looking young man who resembled his mother.  He had dark hair, dark eyes, and a handsome face. He had his mother’s personality and was a very charismatic young man.  He had so many friends.  He also was a charmer and the girls loved him.

        William was very close to his father although their personalities sometimes clashed.  Anna many of times had to act as a referee between the two.  William followed in his father’s footsteps and was an expert rider, fencer, and shot/hunter.  William was serious about joining the military, but his father was very adamant that he was not going to buy him a commission.  Edmund wanted William to attend Oxford, but William did not like school and did not like studying.  Fortunately, William inherited his father’s intelligence and was able to get by in school mostly on his ability.  Attending Oxford was another matter.  If William could not become an army officer like his father, he was anxious to begin a career in business. He did not want to continue his studies!

        Finally, Edmund was able to convince William to attend Oxford to study law.  Edmund made a deal with William that he should at least attend Oxford, pass his classes, and qualify to practice.  Then if he wanted to come in with Edmund in the family business, Edmund would find a place for him.  Having a law background would be of use as well. William agreed and lived up to his end of the bargain.  After Oxford, William joined his father in the family business and was proving to be a very good businessman.  William had a real business acumen and a personality that was suited to the business world.  As a result, Edmund was beginning to delegate many of his own duties to William.

        William was certainly not a wall flower as he had his mother’s knack of finding trouble.  William was a hard worker but he also liked his social life.  He drank a lot and gambled.  Edmund himself gambled at the horse races, but other than that, he was not one to lose money at the gaming tables.  William, on the other hand, would go out for a night of drinking and gambling, not coming home sometimes until early morning.  William also was losing serious money at the gaming tables, and Edmund was beside himself about his son’s behavior.  Anna, who normally was more lenient regarding the behavior of the children realizing that they needed some space to have some fun, even became concerned.

        At least William could admit that he was not a womanizer in that he only had eyes for Sarah Wheeler, his childhood friend who had grown into a beautiful and lively young woman.  Sarah’s mother was Rebecca, who was like a sister to Anna as they became close friends many years ago.  They were two New Yorkers married to English officers. Anna and Rebecca had even joked when the children were toddlers about arranging a marriage between them.  Now it was becoming a reality because William, upon his return from Oxford, courted and then proposed marriage to Sarah.  Sarah accepted!  But Sarah was also concerned about his gambling and drinking habits.

         Edmund had always been able to talk to his son.  William would at least usually listen to what his father had to say although he may not have always agreed with him or followed his advice.  Therefore, Edmund did have a sit down conversation with William about William’s drinking and gambling.  Chalking up William’s behavior as “youthful indiscretion,” Edmund agreed to pay off and clear up his gambling debts, but he wanted William to act like an adult who was contemplating marriage and a family.  William actually agreed with his father that although he was enjoying himself immensely it was time to grow up.  He did “reform” and he married Sarah.

        Edmund was glad to see William settled down and married. It was similar to his story of marrying his childhood friend upon returning from Oxford although he had not enjoyed such a lively social life like William.  Anna was very happy to see William and Sarah married.  In some ways, their youthful romance and marriage took her back to her youthful romance with Abe although she was happy that her story with Abe actually ended differently.

        Now, William and Sarah were married going on 4 years.  William had become that responsible husband that he realized that he needed to become although he still had Anna’s mischievous streak and still liked to have fun.  Fortunately, Sarah was laid back and tolerated William’s fun loving personality, as long as he did not create too much trouble!  William and Sarah made Anna and Edmund grandparents.  They had a little girl named Emma, named for William’s deceased sister, and a baby boy named Edmund. Anna had a hard time believing that she was now a grandmother and it was making her feel a little old, but she loved her grandchildren! She also loved watching now an older Edmund playing with his granddaughter and bouncing his new namesake on his lap.

         Anna’s second son, Simon, was 24.  Simon physically resembled his father and had his personality including his shyness and awkwardness.  Simon studied medicine at Oxford and just recently qualified as a surgeon.  He was now living in London working with a very prominent surgeon who was on the forefront of new surgical procedures. Simon was proving to be an excellent and promising surgeon with a stellar career ahead of him.  Yet, Simon had always been a mummy’s boy and he did not seem to have totally cut the apron strings.  In fact, he wanted to return to Greenwich to set up a medical practice and live at home.  Anna and Edmund, however, encouraged him to stay in London so that he could pursue his career and achieve some independence.

        As a child, it seemed that Simon was always bringing home stray animals.  He took an interest in feeding them, caring for them, and if needed, nursing them back to health.  Anna and Edmund at times felt that they had a zoo in their backyard, and they were constantly trying to limit how many animals he could bring home.  Simon also enjoyed “playing doctor” with the pet dogs as well. He would wrap their paws and give them “physicals.”  Fortunately, the Hewletts’ dogs were fairly good natured and went along provided that they received treats.

        Simon was also a very sensitive and compassionate child who was very kind to other children.  Although he was shy, Simon would stand up for his schoolmates if they were being bullied.  He followed the rules at school and at home. He was always the first child to share.  Simon had a number of friends because of his pleasant personality, but he also could entertain himself for hours.  Simon was an avid reader and as he got older, he would get lost in his father’s library reading various books.  Simon further enjoyed riding, fencing, and shooting.  He also loved music and played the violin and the pianoforte.

        Both Edmund and Anna were very proud of Simon.  Anna, however, was a little worried about Simon because he was so absorbed in his work and took little time to have a social life.  Now as a doctor in London he had many social opportunities such as dinners, outings, and balls, but he avoided them. The only events that he took time out of his schedule to attend were concerts.   

        Regarding the ladies, it was not surprising that Simon was very shy around them.  He was somewhat awkward and nervous around the ladies. His behavior around the ladies reminded Anna of Edmund, especially when she first knew him in Setauket.  Like father like son!  William and Sarah had tried to play matchmaker a few times for Simon but to no avail.  Yet, William and Sarah decided to continue with the challenge of finding a wife for Simon.

        Anna’s daughter, Sophia, was approaching 22 and Anna and Sophia were very busy planning Sophia’s wedding to Philip Henshaw, which was only two weeks away.  Anna just had to laugh thinking about how Edmund had spoiled his “little princess” and dreaded the day when she started to become interested in boys.  Now, his “little princess” was getting married.

        Sophia looked just like Anna, and she had her personality including being a strong willed and lively girl.  Like Anna, Sophia enjoyed as a child playing with her brothers and was almost as rough as they were.  She was not one to be told that she could not participate in games because she was a girl. She tried very much to keep up with her brothers.

        As Sophia grew up, she did become a very accomplished young lady. She played the pianoforte, was a good dancer, and was a very good rider.  She was well-read and very well educated. She was like her father in that she enjoyed school.  Sophia also kept herself busy by becoming very involved in charitable works of the local parish.  With her personality, she usually ended up as an organizer and leader of some of those projects.

        And, Sophia had many suitors!  Anna had to work very hard to restrain Edmund around her suitors.  He was constantly interfering.  He would look into the backgrounds of her suitors and make inquiries about them. He would take every chance that he had to interview them or, as Anna would characterize it, interrogate them.  He did his best to make them feel very uncomfortable and nervous at every chance he could get.

       Of course no man was ever good enough for his “princess.” One was “too lazy,” another was too much a “man of the world,” while another was “too interested in the gaming tables.”  He found many faults with her suitors, and Sophia was getting frustrated as well.  She would constantly plead with Anna to talk to her father.

        Fortunately, Sophia did not become overly interested in any one suitor and so she would eventually forgive her father’s meddling behavior.  She did eventually though become very infatuated with one suitor who was a young military officer.  She thought that he was “the one!”  Edmund was not happy that Sophia had fallen in love with a military officer, and he started doing his research on the man.

        William became very suspicious about the officer and his intentions and decided to do some of his own checking.  William received help from a fellow Oxford classmate and friend, Philip Henshaw, who was at one time a military officer himself.  Philip was the son of a wealthy baronet, and he served in the military for only a short time because he grew to hate military life and wanted out.  Philip sold his commission and went on to Oxford to study law.  Now, he was a very promising young barrister with Lincoln’s Inn in London.  He knew Sophia from his visits to William’s house.  Philip was actually very taken with Sophia and he was very happy to help her in any way that he could.

        Philip used his old army contacts and found out that this military officer was a cad and a rake.  This officer broke an engagement with one woman when he found out that she did not have the money that he thought that she had.  Worse yet, the woman was pregnant with his child and he left her and the child almost destitute.  He refused to claim the child as his or provide for the child.  Fortunately the woman had an understanding family and they did not kick her or the child out of the house.  But, he definitely ruined this woman’s chance of a good future prospect for marriage.  Philip also found out that the officer almost was court martialed for “conduct unbecoming an officer” as he was involved in a scheme to help pay for his gambling debts.

        When William found this out, he knew that he had to tell his father, but he was afraid that his father would grab his old army pistol and go after to shoot the man.  Therefore, William and Philip came up with a scheme to expose the officer for who he was so that Sophia would not blame William or her father for breaking up the relationship.  After some plotting, William finally told his father.  As William predicted, upon hearing the news, Edmund was enraged and was on his way to confront the officer. William had to stop him at the front door to explain that he already had something in the works, and he eventually convinced his father to let the scheme happen.  A few days later, the military officer admitted to his past and Sophia was able to hear it from the man.  Sophia was very upset about the whole affair, and Anna was there to help her daughter mend her broken heart.

        Sophia did not remain heartbroken for too long though because she began to notice Philip.  She saw Philip as a successful young barrister who came to her assistance like a knight on a white horse.  He protected her from making a very bad mistake.  Philip was invited to dinner by Edmund to thank him for his help, and Sophia invited him to tea to thank him as well.  Philip was very smitten with Sophia, and Sophia now noticed Philip.  Before too long, they started to enjoy each other’s company.  And finally, Philip worked up the courage to ask Sophia if he could officially court her.

        Surprisingly, Edmund was actually okay with this arrangement as he was very impressed by Philip.  Anna very quickly figured out why Edmund was fine with Philip seeing his daughter: Philip was very much like Edmund!  In fact, at times while waiting for Sophia, Philip and Edmund would enjoy conversations about politics, the law, science, and sport.  They could talk for hours and had very similar opinions and outlooks on just about every subject!  Sophia sometimes would have to intervene to break up the conversation and remind Philip that he was there to see her.

        Philip won Edmund over and Anna was very surprised how much Edmund trusted Philip with his daughter.  Anna was even more surprised that Edmund did not even insist that the pair have a chaperone!  Anna also really liked Philip.  Anna thought that he was a good match for Sophia.  It would not be so bad if Sophia married someone like her father, but Anna would not tell Sophia that.

        Anna’s and Edmund’s fourth child was a little girl named Emma.  She, however, died of an illness just before her second birthday. This tragedy was difficult for Edmund and Anna to get over, but Anna took it very hard. What finally helped her recovery was their decision to adopt two children.

        As a church warden, Edmund helped with the oversight of a local orphanage.  Anna had become very involved in helping out with the orphanage, and Edmund and Anna had donated substantial sums of their own personal funds to make the orphanage suitable for children. The building was refurbished, a very good staff was hired to oversee the children, and they were provided quality clothes, food, and education.

       Anna and Edmund adopted a little boy age 3 named Jeremy.  He suffered from a deformed leg that Edmund and Anna were able to have treated by a top doctor in London. Although Jeremy still had a limp, he was much more mobile and could play and keep up with the other boys.  Like his brothers, he learned how to ride, shoot, and fence.  
Jeremy was now age 21.  He liked science and was very skilled with his hands.  Like his brother, William, though, he was not too eager to attend Oxford, but he did not have much of a choice.  He could not wait to finish his studies and return home to work as an engineer for the family brewery.  He was responsible for the equipment in the brewery and he was experimenting with new brewing equipment and the use of steam as a power source.  Like his father, he was very interested in astronomy and was working on making his own telescope.  He actually set up a work space in the basement and he spent hours working on his telescope.

        Jeremy was a hard worker but he was also very social.  He did not like to miss a party, ball or dinner engagement.  He had friends who sometimes worried Edmund in that they liked the gaming tables.  Jeremy so far was avoiding going into debt because of gambling, but Edmund did ask William to have a word with his brother about his gambling.

        Worse though, Jeremy was interested in a young lady and almost got dragged into a duel.  Her other suitor was a young military officer who was obsessed with this young lady.  That officer actually challenged Jeremy to a duel over the lady.  Fortunately, Sophia, who knew the lady’s sister, found out from the sister that night about the challenge and the details.  From her conversation with the sister, Sophia seemed to gather that the lady actually was excited to have two men duel over her and she actually put the military officer up to challenging Jeremy.  Right after hearing this, Sophia went running to Anna to tell her the horrible information and to get her to stop Jeremy.  Anna right away sought out Jeremy to try to intervene before the duel was to take place.

        Jeremy at first denied it but with Anna being persistent, he finally admitted to it.  Anna then called Edmund into the room to inform him about the problem. She assured Jeremy that she would try to keep his father calm as they figured out what to do.  Jeremy insisted that he needed to go through with it or else be branded a coward.  Edmund and Anna though (Edmund did remain fairly calm) worked out a solution regarding how Jeremy could back out of the duel and save face.

        Anna first was able to convince Jeremy that this young lady was nothing but a self-centered woman who did not seem to mind if a young man was killed at her expense. She convinced Jeremy to avoid her at all cost. Then they approached the young military officer to work out a compromise, which involved Jeremy giving up his interest in the young lady.  Actually, after the military officer heard the whole story, he did not want to duel and he came to his senses in not wanting anything to do with the young lady. It took Jeremy a while to get over the young lady, but Anna was there to help her child mend his broken heart.

        The same year that Anna and Edmund adopted Jeremy, Anna had grown attached to a little 2 year old girl named Caroline who suffered from a disability, which is called today Down Syndrome.  She also had other health issues, and according to the doctor, she probably would not survive to adulthood.  Caroline was such a pleasant girl and clung to Anna when she would visit the orphanage. Anna’s heart was totally taken by this little girl.  Caroline was then adopted by Anna and Edmund, and after her adoption, she settled in very quickly in her new home.  

        Her two older brothers especially looked after her. At times other children would make fun of her, but her brothers would stand up for her, even if it meant getting involved in a fist fight.  Edmund usually did not want his boys to settle their differences with their fists, but in this case he had no problem with his boys protecting their sister from bullies.  Caroline was a constant companion of Simon as she helped him take care of and nurse the animals that were sick or hurt.

        Sophia and Caroline shared a room and were very close sisters. Caroline and Sophia would sew their own clothes and bake and cook with Anna in the kitchen. The Hewletts had a cook, but the girls loved spending time in the kitchen.  Sophia, Caroline, and Anna had such good times together. They were a lively trio and Edmund could not believe how loud they could get or the trouble that they could find!  As the children became adults, they still did a number of things together and they got into even more mischief.

       Caroline was also Edmund’s “little princess,” and he was very protective of her.  He spoiled her like he did Sophia, and it was precious watching Caroline sit on Edmund's lap as he read stories to the children.  Edmund taught Caroline how to ride, and Anna still remembered the first pony that Edmund bought for Caroline. Caroline, who loved animals, was so taken with this pony. Anna remembered how Caroline wanted to sleep in the pony’s stall the first couple of weeks that she had him.  Anna remembered how each night Edmund and her had to persuade Caroline to sleep in her own bed rather than in a stall. They also had to persuade her that the pony could not sleep in her bedroom!

        As Caroline grew up, she had to continue to deal with her serious health problems.  She required serious medical attention at times and would spend weeks in bed. As a result of her poor health, Caroline learned to paint and found such comfort in this pursuit.  She showed real talent and Edmund and Anna found an art tutor for her.  Simon was also her constant companion during her illnesses before he left home.  Edmund and Anna feared a few times that they would lose Caroline. They did all that they could to ensure that she received the best of medical care. Caroline now was approaching age 20, and she was a strong willed girl who refused to let her poor health and disability defeat her.

        Edmund’s and Anna’s youngest son was 18 years old and was named Thomas. He was a strapping young man and was very good looking.  It was hard to say who he actually resembled although he did have Edmund’s high cheekbones. He was the tallest of the boys and was very athletically built. Now that Britain was at war with France, Edmund was constantly approached about how his son would be a good fit as an army military officer.  Of course, Edmund would not hear of it, and fortunately, Thomas was not interested in an army career.

        Thomas was a very personable and articulate young man. Yet, he was somewhat shy and did not feel comfortable at times attending social events like parties and balls.  He was more comfortable with riding, shooting/hunting, and fencing. Thomas also enjoyed music and was very skilled at playing the violin and the pianoforte like his brother Simon.

        Although Thomas was a good rider, he did have a serious accident when he fell from his horse.  He was 15 years old and was racing with his friends. He tried jumping a fence but his horse’s hoof caught the fence and they both took a tumble. Thomas broke his arm and a few ribs, and suffered a severe concussion. He was unconscious for almost a day, and the doctor was worried about brain damage. He did eventually recover with no long term affects, but he was out of school for almost three months to recover. Anna was quite the nurse taking care of him and looking after him as he made a full recovery.

        Thomas was very intelligent and enjoyed academics like his father.  Also like his brother, Simon, Thomas was a very sensitive child, and he hated to see other children have a difficult time or be made fun of.  He was one to speak up when he thought that someone was being taken advantage of.  It was of no wonder then that he decided to enter the Church. He was now living and studying theology at Oxford as he wanted to be an Anglican vicar.  Imagine the people of Setauket seeing Anna as the mother of an Anglican vicar!

 

 

 

        Anna got up out of her chair and went into the kitchen to make some lunch.  It was still very quiet around the house. Edmund and Jeremy were at the brewery and Sophia and Caroline were out visiting friends. The servants were either enjoying a day off or were out running errands. Anna was enjoying this quiet time because normally, she felt like she was always running here and there.

        Their businesses made Anna and Edmund very wealthy. They were able to buy a larger house to accommodate the larger family.  Until her death, Edmund’s widowed mother moved in with Edmund and Anna. The children loved having their grandmother living with them. Anna did not mind having her mother-in-law living with them because Mrs. Hewlett was not one to intrude and knew how to give Edmund and Anna their needed space.  In many ways, Mrs. Hewlett was the mother that Anna never had as an adult. And, Mrs. Hewlett in a sense was a good role model for Anna as Anna was now a mother-in-law and a grandmother.

        Anna and Edmund were both very careful regarding how they spent their money and were not frivolous in their expenditures.  Yet, Anna had to admit that she felt so secure in their financial success and their financial future. She was also very content to know that their children would be taken care of and that they would always have what they needed.  Anna knew what it was like to worry about money, not having a home, and even where her next meal would come from.  Now, she had to luxury to not worry about money.  She also enjoyed being able to use their wealth to help others such as the parish charitable projects that she, Sophia, and Caroline became very involved with.

       Edmund worked very hard in building up the businesses including their brewery.  Anna also was involved in the brewery still working on various beer recipes. She spent many sleepless nights worrying about those recipes and whether people would drink the new varieties of beer.  As the businesses grew in success, Edmund was able to lighten his workload by selling his interest to his nephews in his deceased father’s businesses that he owned or had an ownership interest in. This sale kept the businesses in the family and he received a large infusion of cash which provided a handsome income.

       Edmund and Anna kept the brewery and the pubs because that was the business that they had started over 20 years ago. It was the business in which William and Jeremy were working at and it provided a further substantial income to Edmund and Anna.  As Edmund became more financially independent and as he was able to delegate more duties to trusted managers and William, he was able to scale back his day to day involvement in the businesses. This then allowed Edmund to devote more time to his real passion, astronomy.

       Edmund was becoming a regular at the Royal Observatory and he was thoroughly enjoying his exploration of the heavens.  He was eventually able to even offer lectures to a few local London academic societies, and he presented a paper, which he had published in a top scientific journal, to a fellow’s dinner.  Edmund was also working on a textbook on astronomy, which he was hoping to have published in the near future.  

        Edmund was able to share his passion of astronomy with his children, including the girls.  It was not unusual to see the whole family gathered in the backyard looking through a telescope.  Anna just laughed imagining what the neighbors must have though watching the Hewlett family outside at midnight huddled around a telescope. They were never very quiet as eventually the boys would start wrestling with each other, which would get the dogs barking. Then Edmund would have to yell at them and then Anna would yell at Edmund to keep his voice down as he was disturbing the neighbors! Meanwhile, when they became adults, the boys became members of the Royal Observatory.

        Edmund and Anna maintained an interest in horses and racing. They were regular at the races and they owned two racehorses. Edmund and Anna had actually talked about buying a horse farm in the English countryside. They both agreed though that they wanted to stay in Greenwich. They wanted to be near family and friends and still enjoy events and getaways in London.

        Yet, the idea of a horse farm and country living still appealed to them so they started to discuss whether they should just buy a summer manor house and turn it into a horse farm with an observatory on the property.  In fact, Jeremy could help with the building of the observatory. Edmund and Anna could hire a couple to manage the house and a professional trainer and stable hands to care and oversee the horses. Then they could stay at the house in the summer and hosts friends and family all summer long.  This image was so appealing to Edmund and Anna and they decided to try to make it a reality, especially as the family was expanding with in-laws and grandchildren.

        Anna had many friends and also had a busy social life as the wife of a prominent and wealthy businessman.  At times, she even found it very hard to balance all of her social obligations.  She had come a long way from being an American "tavern wench!"  No longer did the ladies of Greenwich look down on her or make fun of her behind her back.  She was established in society and was accepted. It did not change her though and her strong personality.  She still spoke her mind and did not put on airs. She remained down to earth and was finally accepted for who she was by Greenwich society.  Of course there were always a few ladies who tried to remind her about her colonial and simple past, but she had no problems handling these old biddies.

        Upon marrying Edmund, Anna had wondered if she would ever see Setauket again.  And the answer was yes. With Edmund’s business interests, they did manage a few trips to New York City.  Unfortunately because of the off again/on again war with France, they only made a few additional trips after 1792.  Just before the war with France, the whole family for the first time made the trip to New York City as the children were now old enough to make the Atlantic crossing. They were excited to see where their mother grew up.

        It was strange to be back in Setauket.  It felt like another lifetime ago!  Anna had hoped that Edmund could join her and the children, but he decided not to travel to Setauket because he had a bit of concern about his safety.  He was responsible for a few executions, and he sentenced residents to either jail or prison ships and some of them never made it home.  He was the garrison commander responsible for lost property and businesses as well.  Therefore, he determined that since some of the residents probably had long term resentments and would not welcome him, life would be easier for all involved if he stayed in New York City while Anna and the children traveled to Setauket.

        Anna and the children traveled to Setauket with Ben and his family.  Ben lived in New York City with his wife and three children.  He was now a prominent Congressman. They were all going to stay with Abe and Mary at Whitehall.  It was almost like a summer camp as Whitehall was filled to the brim with adults and children. The children slept on the floor downstairs while every bedroom was occupied by the adults.

        By this time, Mary and Abe had five children.  Their Thomas was a teenager now and was so grown up!  He was such a young and good looking man! Richard was deceased by this point, and now Abe was the local magistrate. That night they also hosted Caleb, his wife, and six children.  Caleb had his own whaling boat that was not as successful as he had hoped, but it kept him out of trouble.

        How strange it was to be back at Whitehall! There were so many memories! Anna remembered sitting at the dining room table having breakfast with the Woodhulls and Edmund in his redcoat. She saw the backyard where Edmund had set up his telescope and she remembered the first night that she star gazed with Edmund.  She walked through the library where Edmund and her would quietly read or kiss and neck if no one was around.  She saw the living room where the harpsicord was and where Edmund and she would play.  With so many memories, she had so much to show the children (although she would leave out the kissing and necking stories, except she did show the children where they first kissed. The girls loved hearing this while the boys thought that it was icky!).

        While going around Setauket, Anna actually was harassed by a few of the residents who saw her as a traitor for marrying the garrison commander.  Abe had to confront two of the residents to leave Anna alone or as the magistrate he would put them in jail.  Abe wanted the people to know what Anna did contribute to the war effort as a member of the spy ring, but Anna did not want to disclose this because she still did not want anything embarrassing attributed to Edmund.  Rather, Anna told Abe that she would take the unkind words and just ignore them.  She knew what she did for American independence and she was not upset by the residents' behavior.

        Overall it was a very fun visit.  Anna, however, would get choked up at times as she showed her children places from her past.  She showed the children the house that she was raised in, the school (which was actually rebuilt after it was blown up at the Battle of Setauket), that she attended, the various houses that she visited as a child, the river where she fished and went swimming on those hot summer days, and the woods in the back of Ben’s boyhood house where they built a tree house.  She introduced a number of old acquaintances to her children as they talked about the old days.

        Anna took her children to the tavern that she once owned with Selah. To prepare them for the trip (William was age 12), Anna did tell them that she was married before she married their father, but that her first husband had died.  Throughout their visit, the older children were trying to process how their mother had so many friends and a former husband who were actually against their Papa during the war.  Anna tried to answer their questions the best that she could.

 

 

 

 

        As Anna finished her lunch and began to make another cup of tea, she thought about those questions that the children had then while they were in Setauket.  She now started to wonder if she should tell her adult children about her role as a spy during the war.  She wondered how they would react to her revelation.

        She had to admit to herself that she really did not know how they would react.  She did remember that Sophia and Caroline thought that it was so romantic hearing how their mother and father eventually married. They enjoyed hearing how their mother at first did not like their father, confessing that she thought that he was arrogant and obnoxious. They were amazed that even though their father was partly responsible for taking away their mother’s property that they still fell in love and married! Anna wondered now how the girls now would look at her and their father once they heard the whole story!

        Regarding the boys, Anna though that maybe they would be impressed that their mother was a spy. They might be impressed by her tenacity and courage and that she really was someone that you do not mess with! Then again, they probably would never let their father live it down that she did so right under his nose.

        Although she was not exactly sure how they would react, it probably was time to tell them. She remembered how upfront Edmund was with William about his own wartime experience when he talked William out of joining the Army.  Edmund even eventually told his other three boys all of the details in the hopes of giving them a realistic view of what war was like.  Yes, Anna thought now it might be time to finish the story, but she would discuss it with Edmund first.

        Anna went back to the living room with her cup of tea and picked up her book.  Yet, she continued to think about her time with her children in America.  She remembered how they played with the children of Abe, Ben, and Caleb just like Anna played with Abe, Ben, and Caleb many years before.  On the last night of the visit, they were all enjoying the cool fall air in the backyard of Whitehall.  Of course, Caleb, Abe, and even Ben kidded with Anna how well schooled she was in the constellations.  To shut them up, Anna began to instruct them about the constellations and said that she would only stop if they apologized, which they did.  She still had such fun with these guys!

       As Anna drank her tea, she had to admit to herself that through the years, she still retained her ties to the United States and even helped Edmund become such an admirer of the United States. She remembered during the first years after the war, how they helped Ben with creating closer ties between American and British merchants.  When Ben and his new wife returned to London to take up a new post at the US embassy, Anna and Edmund were constant guests of the US embassy.  In turn, they hosted many of the US embassy personnel including the ambassador. Edmund even was able to help the Americans with introductions and even advice regarding who they needed to contact and work with in Great Britain because the British government still at times resented this new country and found ways to try to stymy their diplomatic and trade efforts.  Whenever the US ambassador felt that he was being ignored by official representatives of the British government, he had a list of private English citizens to contact for help and Edmund was on that list.

        There were many Englishmen who admired the new United States and were happy to continue to have strong and special economic, social, cultural, and political ties.  Of course, Edmund and Anna were included.  Edmund was becoming very much of a backer of Parliamentary reform and looked to the United States as a model.  Edmund backed reform candidates who wanted to emulate more the American political system in order to clean up the corruption and lack of political participation in the British political system.

        Edmund followed the newspapers regarding what American statesmen and politicians such as Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, espoused.  Some of the local British party officials even suggested to Edmund that he should even run for a seat in Parliament to push through this reform agenda.  Edmund, however, was quick to decline because he was the first to admit that he was not a politician.  Actually though, his brother eventually was elected to Parliament.  As a member of Parliament, Edmund’s brother, influenced by Edmund, actually became a spokesman for Parliamentary reform and for closer ties to the United States.

        To show how far Edmund had converted, it was now common practice at a formal dinner hosted by Edmund and Anna to first toast the King of England. Then, Edmund would actually toast to the health and success of the President of the United States.  Anna was not going to complain that the President came second in the toast sequence because imagine Edmund toasting to the leader of the United States!

        Even their children were very proud to be half American.  They admired their mother’s background and the history of their country. They were very quick to defend their American roots and even William spoke about wanting to further expand their business and business interests to the United States once the war with France was over and it was safe to travel.  Sarah was half American, and William and Sarah were very happy and proud to point out that their children were also half-American. Sarah and William were determined that their children would know about their American heritage and what it was like to live in New York like their grandmother did so many years ago.

        Anna was very much responsible for her husband’s conversion as the seeds took root when Edmund was serving in America and upon marrying Anna.  Both Edmund and Anna were great friends of the United States. Anna concluded that by giving up the spy ring and marrying Edmund, she was able to further serve the United States even as she aged.  

 

 

         As Anna finished her tea, she knew that the house was going to get busy soon.  It had been such a good day in reflecting on the past 27 years.  Anna realized how fortunate she was to be able to grow old with Edmund and to enjoy their children and now even their grandchildren.  27 years ago, she took a great risk and followed her heart. It did not fail her!!!!!! It led to such an incredible life!!!!!!    She could have never written a story like this, but she knew that it was turning out to be one of the best ever!!!!!!!!!


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